MALAYSIA: GOM ON HAITI ASSISTANCE

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000044 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT PASS TO STACY D. WILLIAMS AT WILLIAMSSD3@STATE.GOV, MELISSA ROSSNER ON HAITI TASKFORCE ONE AT TASKFORCE-1@STATE.GOV, AND MAURA O'NEILL AT MONEILL@USAID.GOV E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL CASC HA MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: GOM ON HAITI ASSISTANCE REF: A. SECSTATE 4854 ¶B. SECSTATE 4807 ¶1. (SBU) POLOFF delivered reftel demarches regarding Malaysia's humanitarian assistance offers for Haiti and information regarding Haiti air traffic on January 19 to Principal Assistant Secretary Muhammad Radzi Jamaludin, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.S. desk officer and Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs Mohd Hafis Othman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Othman, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' point-of-contact on the Haiti aid issue, explained that the MFA is considering several proposals regarding aid to Haiti and will make a final decision upon the Foreign Minister's return from overseas travel shortly. He noted that the GOM would likely provide humanitarian assistance in the form of a cash donation rather than providing supplies, medicines, or people. In response to ref B points, regarding Haiti Air Traffic coordination, our MFA contact said the GOM would not send any aircraft to Haiti, but accepted a faxed copy of the information for reference. ¶2. (U) Local press reported that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Malaysia had launched a 2010 Haiti Earthquake Children's Appeal seeking to raise $120 million USD to support activities to aid children and families suffering due to the earthquake. Press reports also mentioned that the Malaysian Red Crescent Society is appealing for donations for the MRCS International Relief Fund to help victims in Haiti. On January 20, Khairil Annuar Khalid (acehpro@yahoo.com) of the Malaysian Relief Agency, a private NGO, briefed poloffs on his organization's plans to work with the Islamic Society of North America in Washington, D.C. on providing assistance in Haiti. Khairil said his mission was to establish coordination and logistics so that six Malaysian physicians could go to Haiti and provide assistance. Nur Jazlan, a Member of Parliament from the coalition-leading United Malays National Organization (UMNO) told Poloffs on January 19 that Malaysian NGO ABIM (Muslim Youth Organization) was also considering providing aid. ¶3. (U) The MFA released an official statement regarding the Haiti earthquake on January 15. Text follows: PRESS RELEASE EARTHQUAKE IN PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI Malaysia is deeply shocked and saddened over the loss of lives and destruction caused by a powerful earthquake of 7.0 on the Richter Scale, that struck Port-au-Prince, the capital of the Republic of Haiti at 16:53 hrs (Haitian local time) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The devastating earthquake has caused the loss of many lives, including UN peacekeepers and personnel, with many still unaccounted for and severe damages to property. The Government and the people of Malaysia express condolences and deep sympathy to the families of those affected. The Embassy of Malaysia in Havana, the Republic of Cuba has since confirmed that all 3 Malaysians in Haiti are safe. There are no records of other Malaysians in the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Malaysia in Havana will continue to monitor the situation in Port-au-Prince closely and issue reports accordingly. The Republic of Haiti is now facing a humanitarian crisis as result of the catastrophic earthquake. The Government of Malaysia is currently finalizing the details of humanitarian assistance to be extended to Haiti as soon as possible taking into consideration the request for urgent international humanitarian assistance and aid. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia PUTRAJAYA 15 January 2010 KEITH