MAF is Ready to Bring Malaysians Home from Wuhan, China
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has its assets ready to bring home Malaysians stranded around Hubei Province, China, especially in the city of Wuhan which is now under curfew due to the 2019-nCoV Coronavirus transmission.
The MAF Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Tan Sri Affendi Buang, said the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is just waiting for instructions if asked to do so.
“At present, we (MAF) have not received any instructions as they (the government) have the choice to either to bring Malaysians back on commercial aircraft or to use the RMAF's service.
"Upon receiving the order, we will likely fly either the C130 or A400 carrier to bring them back home," he said when contacted by BH today.
Affendi said actions would only be taken when the government obtained permission to fly to Hubei Province and the city of Wuhan to bring back fellow Malaysians.
He said one of the main factor whether or not to use an RMAF aircraft would be the number of Malaysians still stranded in Wuhan and where they would land to refuel.
At present, 78 Malaysians including professionals, university students and Malindo Air flight crews have been reportedly stranded around Hubei and Wuhan Provinces.
KUALA LUMPUR: Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) meletakkan asetnya dalam keadaan bersiap-sedia dikerahkan membawa pulang rakyat Malaysia yang terkandas sekitar Wilayah Hubei, China, terutamanya di bandar raya Wuhan yang kini dikenakan perintah berkurung akibat penularan coronavirus, 2019-nCoV.
Panglima ATM, Jeneral Tan Sri Affendi Buang, berkata Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) kini hanya menunggu arahan sekiranya diminta berbuat demikian.
“Ketika ini, kami (ATM) belum menerima sebarang arahan kerana mereka (kerajaan) mempunyai pilihan, sama ada untuk membawa balik rakyat Malaysia menggunakan pesawat komersial atau menggunakan khidmat TUDM.
“Sekiranya menerima arahan, kami berkemungkinan menerbangkan sama ada pesawat pengangkut C130 atau A400 untuk membawa mereka kembali ke tanah air,” katanya ketika dihubungi BH hari ini.
Affendi berkata, sebarang tindakan hanya bakal diputuskan apabila kerajaan mendapat kebenaran untuk menerbangkan pesawat negara ini ke Wilayah Hubei dan bandar raya Wuhan, sekaligus membawa pulang rakyat Malaysia.
Katanya, antara faktor utama penggunaan pesawat TUDM adalah berdasarkan jumlah rakyat Malaysia yang masih terkandas di Wuhan serta lokasi mereka akan mendarat untuk mengisi bahan api.
Ketika ini, seramai 78 rakyat Malaysia termasuk golongan profesional, penuntut universiti dan krew penerbangan Malindo Air dilaporkan terkandas di sekitar Wilayah Hubei dan Wuhan.
