Media statement by Teresa Kok Suh Sim in Shah Alam on Thursday, 24^th February 2011:

Malaysia should deploy Malaysia's SMART rescue team to Christchurch immediately

Malaysia, as one of New Zealand's neighbouring countries, is shockingly not among the foreign rescue teams in Christchurch listed by New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully in his statement issued yesterday.

I urge the government to deploy Malaysia's Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Christchurch to assist the Government of New Zealand in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake without further delay.

Malaysia has a long history of close and friendly links with New Zealand, stemming from our Commonwealth ties, education aid under the Colombo Plan and shared security concerns.

During the "Emergency" and Konfrontasi in the 1950s and 1960s, New Zealand deployed substantial troops to assist Malaysia. Today, New Zealand remains in the top ten destinations for Malaysian students who seek education abroad. In addition, tourists from New Zealand are being targeted by Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism.

Therefore, Malaysia must not hesitate to help in what New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has described as New Zealand's 'darkest day'.

In contributing to the rescue efforts, SMART will stand to gain valuable knowledge and experience from other rescue teams who have already arrived such as Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and the UK.

Times of great adversity present an opportunity for great courage. Malaysia must not falter.

I offer my sincere condolences to the people of New Zealand and all who have suffered a loss in the earthquake.

* Teresa Kok Suh Sim, National Organizing Secretary, Selangor State Senior EXCO for Investment, Industry & Trade & MP for Seputeh