Latest news with #MercyMalaysia
The Star
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Asean must reaffirm commitment to Myanmar's humanitarian crisis
AS Asean Foreign ministers gather in Kuala Lumpur from July 8 to 11, 2025, Mercy Malaysia renews its call for Asean to reaffirm its commitment to the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, particularly the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian access to all communities affected by conflict. The Five-Point Consensus, adopted by Asean in 2021, remains the clearest pathway toward regional peace and stability in Myanmar. Yet its implementation remains uneven. Mercy Malaysia urges Asean to match political will with principled action, especially in ensuring that humanitarian aid is not subjected to delay, obstruction, or politicisation.
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Mercy Malaysia urges ASEAN to prioritise Myanmar aid access
KUALA LUMPUR: Mercy Malaysia has urged ASEAN to reaffirm its commitment to the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) on Myanmar, emphasising the need for improved humanitarian access and a reinforced Special Envoy mechanism amid the ongoing crisis. As ASEAN Foreign Ministers prepare to meet in Kuala Lumpur this week, Mercy Malaysia's president, Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, highlighted that the 5PC remains the most viable framework for achieving peace and stability in Myanmar. 'In recent months, we have witnessed humanitarian convoys delayed at crossings while families beyond them remain without access to clean water, shelter or essential healthcare,' he said in a statement. The 5PC, established in 2021, outlines key steps including an end to violence, inclusive dialogue, mediation by a special envoy, humanitarian aid delivery, and envoy engagement with all parties. Ahmad Faizal stressed the need for structural improvements to the Special Envoy mechanism, calling for a clear operational mandate, unrestricted stakeholder access, and long-term resourcing. 'Humanitarianism can no longer be viewed as the responsibility of a few. It must become a shared regional ethos that sees suffering not only as a humanitarian emergency, but as a call for solidarity, structural justice and long-term engagement,' he added. The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting is set to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from July 8 to 11.
The Sun
30-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Govt urged to steer Asean beyond economic output
PETALING JAYA: Renowned humanitarian and Mercy Malaysia founder Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood has urged Malaysia to use its Asean chairmanship as a turning point not just for the region's economic ambitions but to also redefine progress through the lens of genuine well-being and planetary health. Speaking on 'The Game of Impossible' podcast on Friday, Jemilah stressed that gross domestic product (GDP) alone is a flawed and outdated metric of development. She said high income does not always equate to happiness or safety. 'GDP alone is a bad measure of development. You have seen countries with high GDPs but very unhappy people, very unsafe. We need a well-being economics model in which everyone can live a good life with dignity and enough economic development,' she said. Jemilah, who founded Mercy Malaysia in 1999 after being moved by wartime footage from Kosovo, reflected on how humanitarian work has evolved from reactive disaster response to addressing the root causes of human vulnerability. She recounted a life-changing moment from 2000, when images of a Mozambican woman giving birth atop a mango tree during severe flooding left a lasting impression. Years later, while serving as Under Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, she visited Mozambique and discovered that the boy she was playing with was that very baby. 'That was my 'aha' moment,' she said. 'Have I been putting band-aids on gaping wounds? Until and unless we tackle the underlying drivers of why people are becoming so vulnerable, we can't keep (applying) aid as a cure.' That realisation drove her deeper into planetary health, a field linking the well-being of humanity to the state of the Earth's natural systems. Upon returning to Malaysia from Switzerland during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jemilah established the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, envisioning it as a regional hub to address intertwined challenges such as climate change, social inequality and sustainable growth. 'Asia Pacific is the most vulnerable region in the world,' she warned, urging Malaysia to lead boldly during its Asean chairmanship with real commitments to decarbonisation, halting deforestation and driving behavioural change. She highlighted Costa Rica as an inspiring example, a country that abolished its military, invested in environmental conservation and built a thriving ecotourism sector while consistently ranking among the world's happiest nations. 'I would rather live well than be extremely wealthy. You may have wealth but no health. We need to find the balance between well-being and wealth,' she said. Reflecting on over two decades in humanitarian service, from conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan to the 2004 tsunami in Aceh, Jemilah shared searing memories, including an ambush in Iraq that claimed the lives of her colleagues and left her needing months of therapy. 'Humanitarian workers were no longer sacrosanct. International humanitarian law had been breached,' she said, describing how their clearly marked ambulance was deliberately targeted. Through it all, Jemilah emphasised the values of humility, persistence and gratitude. She said true leadership includes knowing when to step aside as she did by preparing a succession plan before stepping down from Mercy Malaysia.
New Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
'Our souls are still in Gaza': Malaysians share painful mission memories
KUALA LUMPUR: Two Malaysian volunteers who recently returned from a month-long humanitarian mission in Gaza say the pain, resilience, and humanity they witnessed will stay with them forever. Mohd Azizul Hakim Danial, 35, a medical assistant with Mercy Malaysia's Specialised Care Team 5 (SCT 5), and his colleague Nurfirdaus Ibrahim, 32, spoke about their emotional journey in Gaza during an interview on Harian Metro's Apa-Apa Saja podcast. "The patient fed me a piece of pastry with their own hand — despite clearly not having had enough to eat themselves," said Azizul, recounting a moment that touched him deeply while working in a dialysis unit at a hospital that had previously been bombed. Both men spent 30 days in Gaza from March 27 to April 26, offering critical medical support amid what they described as a total collapse of the healthcare system. "We saw with our own eyes how the healthcare system has been destroyed. Many machines are damaged, water supply remains irregular, electricity supply frequently gets interrupted — but patients still seek medical assistance," Azizul said. In one small act of comfort, they pooled money to buy a birthday cake worth 100 shekels (around RM125) for a local member of staff. "To us, that may seem ordinary. But to them, it was overwhelming. Some cried — they never imagined someone would remember their birthday," he said. Azizul recalled speaking to a hospital worker who had been absent for two days. "She had been arranging the funeral for her entire family," he said. Despite their suffering, Azizul said the people of Gaza were grateful for Malaysia's support. "Children would shout, 'I love Malaysia!' when they saw us. That alone made everything feel worthwhile," he said. The team also compiled data and prepared reports for the World Health Organization (WHO), but both men were disheartened by how little they could do. "We collected so much, but it all feels like we left them halfway," said Azizul. Nurfirdaus, who also worked in the dialysis unit, recalled patients walking up to 45km just to receive treatment — with smiles on their faces despite being weak from hunger. "Some came on donkey carts, others walked for hours. One day, we had to use the same chemical drum for several machines. Staff had to carry water in buckets, adding that everything was done manually," he said. Nurfirdaus shared the story of a teenage dialysis patient who stood out for his spirit. "He's been on dialysis for five years and can operate the machine on his own. After his session, he even helps others. He still dreams of a kidney transplant — even though it's nearly impossible in Gaza." Nurfirdaus said a one-month stint was too short to make any lasting impact on a crumbling health system. "We made it back, but our souls are still in Gaza," he said. He also urged Malaysian youth to play their part in humanitarian efforts.
Sinar Daily
08-05-2025
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Female doctor shares experience from humanitarian mission in Gaza
As the only female volunteer in MERCY Malaysia's Special Care Team 5 (SCT 5), she said the sound of bombs every night never once shook her resolve and the thought of death did not trouble her. 11 May 2025 02:00pm A young girl carries a salvaged pot inside a damaged building that was hit in an Israeli strike in the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on May 2, 2025. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP) KUALA LUMPUR - The suffering of the Palestinian people became the driving force for anaesthesiologist Dr Siti Sainira Saidin, who spent 30 days in Gaza as part of Mercy Malaysia's humanitarian mission to help residents in the conflict zone, despite the constant threat of bomb explosions. As the only female volunteer in Mercy Malaysia's Special Care Team 5 (SCT 5), she said the sound of bombs every night never once shook her resolve and the thought of death did not trouble her. Displaced Palestinian children play at a damaged lecture hall at the Islamic University campus in Gaza City on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP) "We were stationed in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and northern Gaza. Almost every night, we heard the sound of bombs exploding, but Alhamdulillah, we were able to carry out our duties according to Mercy Malaysia's standard operating procedures. "Not once did I think about dying while I was there, because life and death are determined by Allah SWT. As His servant, I simply did my best to complete the 30-day mission,' she said in a press conference at Mercy Malaysia's headquarters, here recently. Also present were Mercy Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, Global Operations chief and SCT 5 team leader Shah Fiesal Hussain, and two other volunteers, Mohd Azizul Hakim Danial and Nurfirdaus Ibrahim. Sharing her experience, Dr Siti Sainira said she and three other volunteers were tasked with providing emergency medical care at several major hospitals, including Al-Shifaa Hospital, Al-Nasser Hospital, and Kuwait Specialty Hospital, during the mission which ran from March 27 to April 26. She said she had long followed the developments and hardships faced by people in the conflict zone through media reports, and from then on, she aspired to contribute to humanitarian efforts, a dream she never imagined would come true through the SCT 5 team. "As a woman, I was deeply moved because the majority of victims in the conflict are women and children. Alhamdulillah, my wish to help them has been fulfilled,' said Dr Siti Sainira, who has served in the medical field for 17 years. Despite facing various challenges throughout the mission, including being away from her family, she said the simulation training with the General Operations Force (GOF) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) prior to departure had helped prepare her mentally and ensured her safety on the ground. - BERNAMA More Like This
