Language was not a barrier for a team of volunteers from Yayasan
Salam Malaysia and the Malaysian Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Association who
took part in relief operations in Bam, Iran, when the city was hit
by an earthquake.
The five-member team led by Capt K Balasupramaniam, encountered
more than its fair share of problems with poor communication.
But the group made the country proud by taking on the arduous task
of rescue and humanitarian work during the tragedy last
December.
Its efforts have earned the team a nomination for the NSTP-PwC
Young Humanitarian Award.
It was the first Malaysian group to be registered with the United
Nations for on-site relief operations and team members recovered
three bodies using car jacks as some of the rescue equipment was
lost en route to Teheran.
Other members of the Bam team were technical officer officer Kodi
Muniyandi, Medic Lim Sim Wei, rescue technician Noor Amali Mahat
and high-angle operation specialist Ramakrishnan Ramasamy.
While in Iran, the team spent time making an assessment of the
surroundings and interviewed government officials and
representatives from various non-governmental organisations.
The volunteer fire and rescue association is synonymous with
providing aid in times of national disasters, including the
Highland Towers collapse and the firework factory explosion in
Sungai Buloh more than a decade ago.
Yayasan Salam has always promoted voluntary service and provided
opportunities for Malaysian volunteer locally and abroad.
Over the past four years, the foundation has sent representatives
to Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste and Sri Lanka.
The Young Humanitarian Award is open to individuals and groups
below 40. Only humanitarian acts between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2003
qualify.
The public and NGOs may nominate anyone eligible for the award.
Media organisations may nominate individuals or groups they had
covered.
The award consists of a trophy as well as a cash award of RM20,000
for the winner, and another RM20,000 for a charity of the
winner's choice.
