Tycoon brings in masks, PPE in fight against Covid-19


A plane carrying masks, personal protective equipment, ventilators and sanitisers at the Subang airport. – Pic by Lee Kim Yew, March 29, 2020.

A TOP businessman has chartered a plane to fly in 1.5 million masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontliners and medical staff to combat the Covid-19 virus.

Country Heights Holdings Berhad founder and executive chairman Lee Kim Yew said every government should focus on having five essential “weapons” to face this invisible enemy.

Frontliners should be given masks, PPE, Covid-19 test kits, ventilators and sanitisers to ensure that they do not collapse, he said.

“Of course there are many other facilities that are needed but to me, it is crucial to equip medical staff with these five essential items to ensure they do not collapse.

“Prevention is the best defence against the virus before the vaccine is found,” Lee said in a statement.

He said the movement control order (MCO) was just a temporary solution and that the government should build up the supply of masks for every citizen even after the lockdown period.

“The lockdown can only be treated as a temporary solution. I hope Malaysia as a country can come together and do more  in these 90 days to ensure Malaysia has enough masks.

“We must have masks on when we travel even after this MCO period,” he said.

He also said that he has started an initiative called Bantu-Bantu Malaysia, which works within his group and other family members and friends as a joint effort to bring in masks, PPEs and testing kits.

Bantu-Bantu Malaysia also works to provide food within a 5km radius near the Palace of the Golden Horses to ensure sufficient food.

“I want to assure all Malaysians: supply is not a problem now. There is enough supply of masks and PPE and I have all the resources but the challenge is the logistics and money.

“With Bantu-Bantu Malaysia, I hope I will get more people with the same compassion to come together to bring more of those five essential items to Malaysia,” he said, adding that he has converted the Palace of the Golden Horse’s Ballroom into Bantu-Bantu Malaysia’s operating centre.

The total number of Covid-19 positive cases in Malaysia is now 2,320, with 35,516 people already tested for the virus.

A total of 24,727 tested negative, while 8,469 tests are still pending.

The largest cluster of cases was from the tabligh event at Sri Petaling, where 12,500 people were screened and 1,207 tested positive.

For close contacts of Covid-19 positive patients, 10,724 people were sampled and 586 were positive.

Of 7,426 patients under investigation tested for the virus, 461 were positive.

The government initially announced that the MCO will be in force March 18 to 31 to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The order has been extended another two weeks to April 14. – March 29, 2020.


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