5 January 2005
For Immediate Release

BUDDHIST MAHA VIHARA SENDS 10 AID CONTAINERS TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS IN SRI LANKA, ACEH AND PHUKET.  

The Buddhist Maha Vihara (BMV), Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur has from 28 December 2004 to 3 January 2005, been able to send 10 (4 x 40 footers and 6 x 20 footers) aid containers to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. In addition, the Buddhist Maha Vihara has also dispatched 110 lorries of varying sizes to various destinations with an assortment of items.  These destinations include North Port, Klang (for commercial carriers to Sri Lanka and Royal Malaysian Navy vessels to Aceh), ABIM headquarters, Vivikenanda Ashram Brickfields, Malaysian Red Crescent Headquarters, KLIA, Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and Phuket.

The BMV has since the start of the relief efforts in Kuala Lumpur become a major collection and donation centre for the tsunami victims.  Donors, comprising Buddhists and non Buddhists alike and many non Malaysians have been sending medicines, mineral water, clothes, milk powder, generators, body bags, face masks, cooking utensils and an assortment of food items. “We never expected anything like this. We were hoping to send maybe only 3 or 4 containers but the response from the donors has been fantastic.  The volunteers have been an inspiration, working from 9am till 3am everyday for the past one week. The spirit is very high and everyone is pitching in any way they can. We have 1000 tonnes of food and water now at the warehouses waiting to be sent to the victims. ”, said Ven Dr K Sri Dhammananda, Chairman of the BMV Tsunami Relief Project.

The BMV is expected to send out another 30 containers in the coming week. All container and logistics requirements have been donated by various individuals and companies.  Ven Dhammananda added, “ Since we are hampered by space here, some items are sent to warehouses in North Port and Malaysian Airports Berhad for re-packing into containers and hence shipped or airlifted from there. We have stopped accepting clothes and only food and other essentials will be received till Sunday 9 January 2005. We hope intending donors will take note of our cutoff date and understand we cannot go on indefinitely.”

The BMV has till Sunday 2 January 2005 collected RM 2 million in cash. All cash donations have been issued with official BMV receipts. The BMV Management Committee will continue collecting donations for the BMV Tsunami Relief Fund via cash, cash or direct debit till Sunday 16 January 2005. Donors can make donations direct to EON Bank Bhd Current Account at “ Buddhist Vihara Tsunami Relief Fund” Account No. 0061-10-002890-3. The Tsunami Fund will also be audited by a MIA registered public accounting firm to ensure accountability. The BMV has also donated RM40,000 to the Malaysian Tsunami Disaster Fund.

The Management Committee of BMV will appoint a Tsunami Relief Fund Working Committee soon to study and review how the funds will be expended for post-relief reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the affected areas.

For enquiries, please contact:
Mr Sarath W Surendre
President Buddhist Maha Vihara

Tel : 603-22741141
Fax: 603-22732570
HP : 6012- 2830145
Email : sws1@tm.net.my