60 volunteers begin humanitarian mission to Thailand

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Sixty youth volunteers today set out on their humanitarian mission in a convoy of 20 four-wheel-drive vehicles to hand over aid to flood victims in Thailand.

Joining the volunteers, aged 24 to 30, on the seven-day mission ending on Dec 19, are a medical team and media representatives.

The volunteers will hand over foodstuff and medicines to the flood victims and undertake community service, including cleaning up schools and conducting health screening.

Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Gan Ping Sieu flagged off the International Youth Volunteerism Programme-Thailand After Flood Disaster Relief 2011 convoy, here.

He said the programme was initiated by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek to create a network for closer cooperation among Asean countries in the area of volunteerism.

It is organised by the ministry, National Sports Council of Malaysia and Thailand Welfare Promotion Office.

"The programme will develop awareness among Malaysian youths on volunteerism and humanitarian activities, besides strengthening diplomatic relations and relations between Malaysia and Thailand's youth organisations," Gan said.

The Thai ambassador to Malaysia, Songsak Saicheun thanked the government and people of Malaysia for the humanitarian assistance which he said reflected the close and cordial relations between the two countries.

"The situation in Thailand is improving. The volunteers can help to clean up and rebuild the affected schools," he said.

Meanwhile, Gan said to produce more volunteer leaders, the ministry had drawn up a programme to train youths to carry out voluntary programmes in a more structured and professional manner, with 65 already selected for training that began in mid-November.

"They will attend courses and do field work in and outside the country, particularly in the Asean region in the fields of education, environment, humanity and crisis relief. This is a key focus fo! r the mi nistry to build a youth network of volunteers in the country," he said.

Gan said the ministry, through the Rakan Muda programme, had received 300,000 applications from youths nationwide to become volunteers.

"The ministry's target is to have one million volunteers by 2012 to do community service like helping victims of floods and other disasters."

Gan said Malaysians should emulate youths in Australia where 5.2 million of those aged 18 and above had registered as volunteers and spent 137 hours a year on voluntary work. (BERNAMA)