Well-prepared: Part of the Smart personnels’ luggage containing equipment needed in their search and rescue operations before being checked-in to their flight at KLIA. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian students in Turkiye are safe in the wake of the earthquake that struck the republic on Monday, says the Malaysian Students Association in Turkiye (Masat).
No Malaysian student near the earthquake epicentres has been affected so far, said its president Muhammad Adib Nor Azman.
“However, since there were aftershocks, we will continue to monitor the situation in case the students face any emergencies,” he said when contacted.
Muhammad Adib said there were three university students who were registered under the association in that area, and four religious school students in Gaziantep.
“We’re also in contact with the Malaysian embassy and consular offices here in Turkiye, and will provide necessary updates,” he added.
The Istanbul University student said that there were around 200 Malaysians students at universities and (maahad tahfiz) in Turkiye – however, only 168 are registered with Masat.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir also confirmed that no Malaysians were affected by the disaster.
As at press time, the massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake has claimed more than 4,400 lives in Turkiye and Syria.
The heaviest devastation occurred near the quake’s epicentre between Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the Turkyish Embassy in Malaysia expressed its gratitude to the Malaysian government for its swift response in deploying the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart) to assist in search and rescue operations.
In a tweet on Monday night, the embassy posted several pictures and videos of Smart personnel taking off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The 70-member team comprises a medical team from the Royal Medical Corps, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department’s K9 Unit, and a hazardous chemical materials special team.
