SUBANG — Fifty members of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) departed for Naypyidaw, Myanmar, this morning, on a humanitarian aid mission and to assist in search and rescue (SAR) operations for earthquake victims.
The death toll from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday is currently exceeds 1,600, according to media reports on the country’s military junta’s statement late last night, but the number is expected to increase as many more people are trapped beneath rubble.
Malaysia’s SMART team, under the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), went with SAR equipment that includes two five-ton trucks and a four-wheel-drive vehicle using two Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) A400M aircraft which took off from the RMAF Subang Air Base at 9.30 am and 10 am, respectively.
The team, led by contingent commander Senior Superintendent of Fire 1 (PgKB 1) Mohamad Hafiezul Abdul Halim, comprises 16 personnel from the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), 13 from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and 21 from the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the mission is expected to last between seven and 14 days, depending on the needs and situation.
“Driven by a sense of humanity and strong ASEAN solidarity, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, along with Malaysia as the ASEAN Chair for 2025, are very sympathetic to what is happening in Myanmar and have taken immediate action by mobilising the SMART team.
“The team also brought medical equipment, and we hope this assistance will accelerate SAR operations in disaster-affected areas alongside international rescue teams from other countries,” Bernama reported Zahid saying at a press conference when sending off the SMART team.
Also present were Army Chief General Datuk Mohd Nizam Jaffar, NADMA Director-General Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus, SMART Commander PgKB 1 Mohd Khairul Jamil, and Myanmar Ambassador to Malaysia Aung Soe Win.
Zahid, who is also the Central Disaster Management Committee chairman, said for now, Malaysia’s SAR efforts are primarily focused on Myanmar, given the severe impact of the disaster there compared to Thailand.
Malaysia is also open to deploying additional SMART personnel if needed and will discuss the matter with the Myanmar Embassy.
More than 2,000 people are injured in Myanmar, amid difficulty on ascertaining exact numbers on casualties due to communication breakdowns and poor infrastructure as a result from the country’s civil war since the military’s coup in 2021. – March 30, 2025