PETALING JAYA, 21 FEBRUARY 2023 – In the wake of the devastating earthquakes in southern Türkiye and northwest Syria recently, Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) had urgently committed a total of RM3 million from the YSD Disaster Relief Fund 2022/2023 towards relief efforts in the disaster-stricken region.

YSD donated RM1.5 million to the Tabung Bencana Kementerian Luar Negeri (TBKLN) at Seri Perdana Complex, Putrajaya on 14 February 2023; witnessed by Prime Minister YAB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and other government officials, in support of the Malaysian government’s commitment to humanitarian aid in Türkiye and Syria. The humanitarian aid raised through the disaster fund is part of the Malaysian government’s donation to the Türkiye government to help rebuild the lives of the affected victims.

Additionally, today, YSD also committed RM1.5 million to MERCY Malaysia for the deployment of their emergency response and recovery initiatives in the affected region. Y.A.M. Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, Chairman of YSD formally announced the contribution to MERCY Malaysia in an event in the presence of Dato’ Dr Ahmad Faizal Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia; Puan Sri Normah Hashim, Governing Council Member of YSD; Dato’ Jeffri Salim Davidson, Group Chief Executive Officer of Sime Darby Berhad; En Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, Managing Director of Sime Darby Oils; and En. Ahmad Faezal Mohamed, Executive Director, MERCY Malaysia.

The 12-month long commitment to MERCY Malaysia will cover the costs of medical supplies for primary healthcare services and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, and the deployment of rapid assessment and emergency medical response teams.

“We are deeply saddened by this catastrophe and the massive number of deaths reported from this devastating tragedy, with millions left without shelter and struggling to survive in extremely cold temperatures. We are thankful to our long-term partner MERCY Malaysia, who is one of the first organisations to extend critical assistance on the ground in response to this crisis. With these contributions from YSD, we hope that relief work may be carried out smoothly, and as many victims as possible will receive the critical help and support that they need,” said Tunku Tan Sri Imran during the mock cheque handover ceremony today.

Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Faizal said, “MERCY Malaysia has activated the Turkiye-Syria Earthquake Response Plan to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected communities. MERCY Malaysia has so far sent five Rapid Assessment and Health Support Teams since 7 February 2023 to provide quick impact intervention and ensure assessment and readiness for the subsequent teams' deployment. We are encouraged by the long-standing partnership we have had with Yayasan Sime Darby, which started in 2014 and covering five countries to date, that personifies the corporate-civil society solidarity towards humanitarian crises.”

YSD, as the philanthropic arm of the Sime Darby Berhad, Sime Darby Plantation Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad, has pledged a total of RM3 million to provide urgent and necessary aid in response to the unprecedented large-scale damage, as part of its contribution to humanitarian efforts carried out over the years under the YSD Disaster Relief Fund. Since 2013, more than RM35 million had been allocated from this YSD fund for relief and aid efforts to communities in areas affected by disasters such as the recent floods across Malaysia, house fires, the COVID-19 pandemic, tsunamis and earthquakes that affected neighbouring regions, as well as other calamities that affect communities.