KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's High Commission in Sri Lanka has advised Malaysians residing in the island nation to be cautious and always adhere to the rules and regulations there following the ongoing economic crisis and security situation in that country.
In an email interview with Bernama, the high commission said that during the emergency situation when curfew was imposed like now, Malaysians were advised to stay indoors.
"As for Malaysians planning to travel to Sri Lanka, they should consider postponing their trip until the curfew has been lifted. This is to prevent unnecessary inconvenience on their arrival in Sri Lanka," the high commission advised.
On the total number of Malaysians there, it said currently, there are 85 Malaysians registered with the high commission in Colombo.
They are mainly Malaysians working in Sri Lanka plus their family members and Malaysians who are married to Sri Lankans. Most of them are staying in the capital city of Colombo.
It said that to be in constant touch with the high commission, a Whatsapp group plus social media such as facebook and twitter had been setup for easy communication with Malaysians residing in Sri Lanka.
"We are always ready to render our assistance to any Malaysians in distress," it said when asked if the high commission was fully prepared to face any eventualities, including the need to assist Malaysians there if the current crisis continues to persist.
On its general assessment of the current economic and security situation there, the high commission explained that the economic situation in Sri Lanka today is critical as essential items such as fuel, cooking gas, medicines and certain food items were not readily available in the market.
"Many vehicles had to line up to buy fuel. On top of that, there are frequent electricity cuts daily. The Sri Lankan rupee has lost almost 90 per cent of its value since April 2022. This has triggered multiple price hikes that caused high inflation in Sri Lanka," it said.
The high commission said that the Sri Lankan people were very frustrated with the bleak economic situation and many of them have taken to the streets to protest against the government.
"Unfortunately, the one-month-old mostly peaceful demonstrations were disrupted when they were attacked by pro former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's supporters on May 9. As a result, a curfew has been imposed until May 11, 2022," it pointed out.
Asked whether Malaysian companies' operations have been affected in any way, it said so far Malaysian companies that have operations in Sri Lanka have not been badly affected by the economic crisis in the country.
Malaysian investments in Sri Lanka are mostly in sectors like telecommunication, Information Technology (IT), financial, lubricant manufacturing and general trading. Malaysian total investment in Sri Lanka is around US$2.6 billion.
Our single largest investment is Dialog Axiata in the telecommunication sector, it said.
In 2021, bilateral trade between the two countries registered a respectable US$730 million.
"Bilateral trade recovered quickly after the devastation in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic," the high commission pointed out.
Rajapaksa on Monday announced his resignation from his prime ministerial post as violent protests broke out.
Sri Lanka, with some 22 million population, gained independence in 1948.
The island nation is now facing its worst economic crisis since independence, stemming from a foreign exchange shortage which in turn led to acute shortages in essential supplies such as fuel, cooking gas, food and medicines.
Protests which have been ongoing for days, triggered by the economic and political crises, witnessed the worst clashes on Monday, which killed seven people and injured more than 200 people.
A ruling party's member of parliament also died in the violence.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed May 11 2022
The high commission said that during the emergency situation when curfew was imposed like now, Malaysians were advised to stay indoors. - REUTERS
Jumlah kumulatif kes MPOX (setakat 4 September 2024)
Untuk rekod, jumlah kumulatif global adalah sebanyak 103,898 kes. Asia dengan 5,403 kes.
Pengurus syarikat rugi lebih RM400,000 terperdaya pelaburan tidak wujud
Seorang pengurus syarikat kerugian RM420,000 selepas terperdaya dengan skim pelaburan tidak wujud.
Pencapaian Malaysia membanggakan, tapi jangan berpuas hati
Kerajaan tidak boleh berpuas hati walaupun kedudukan Malaysia dalam pelaksanaan matlamat pembangunan mampan (SDG) agak baik berdasarkan 248 indikator yang digariskan.
Tingkatkan siap siaga hadapi segala kemungkinan
Ibu bapa pantau keadaan anak sepanjang cuti persekolahan, terutama melarang bermain air ketika banjir.
200 rumah di Nibong Tebal hampir tenggelam
Lebih 200 rumah di lima kampung di Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang dinaiki air susulan hujan lebat.
Cuti anggota dan pegawai bomba Kedah dibekukan
Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia Kedah membekukan cuti anggota dan pegawai susulan situasi banjir dan fenomena air pasang besar.
Sukan wushu, karate sah dipertanding di Sukan SEA Thailand - Kim Fatt
Dua sukan tempur yang merupakan lubuk emas negara, wushu dan karate sah akan dipertandingkan di Sukan SEA Thailand 2025, kata Presiden Persekutuan Wushu Malaysia (PWM) Datuk Chong Kim Fatt.
Muktamar Pas: "Biarlah dia cari dosa kering" - Ahmad Zahid
Beliau mengulas tindakan Pas didakwa menjadikan Muktamar Tahunan Ke-70 parti itu sebagai pentas memfitnah dan memaki hamun lawan mereka.
Ringgit terus positif, naik 7.86 peratus sehingga kini berbanding dolar AS
Pada 6 petang, mata wang tempatan itu meningkat kepada 4.2535/2645 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.2975/3050 ketika ditutup pada Jumaat lepas.
AWANI Borneo [17/09/2024] - Kurangkan kebergantungan import | Model kepimpinan Rasulullah | Promosi identiti budaya Melayu
Tumpuan Awani Borneo 17 September 2024 bersama Pia Ernadya;
1. Inisiatif pembangunan jagung bijian bersepadu di Sabah, Sarawak bagi kurangkan kebergantungan import
2. Sarawak amal konsep Muqarabah sebagai dasar pentadbiran
3. Nuansa Seni tingkat martabat busana Melayu tradisional
1. Inisiatif pembangunan jagung bijian bersepadu di Sabah, Sarawak bagi kurangkan kebergantungan import
2. Sarawak amal konsep Muqarabah sebagai dasar pentadbiran
3. Nuansa Seni tingkat martabat busana Melayu tradisional
Cef Malaysia pukau pelajar institut pelancongan Sri Lanka
Cef Murad mengadakan pertunjukan memasak di Colombo sebagai sebahagian festival masakan Malaysia yang sedang berlangsung di Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka akan dakwa 10 nelayan India atas kematian kelasi tentera laut
Tentera Laut Sri Lanka merampas sebuah bot pukat tunda di luar Kankasanthurai di Wilayah Jaffna di utara negara itu pada 25 Jun lalu.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Tujuh maut kereta lumba rempuh penonton di Sri Lanka
Dalam kemalangan di Fox Hill Supercross itu, 18 penonton lain mengalami kecederaan.
Pakistan sambut Aidilfitri hari ini, Bangladesh dan India rai Khamis
Umat Islam di Pakistan dan Sri Lanka meraikan Aidilfitri pada Rabu manakala mereka yang berada di Bangladesh dan sebahagian besar India akan menyambut perayaan itu Khamis.
Pakar WHO akan bantu tangani kusta di Sri Lanka
Daripada keseluruhan 1,550 pesakit, wilayah barat yang paling ramai penduduk di Sri Lanka, merekodkan 599 kes.
Zambry lakukan lawatan rasmi ke Sri Lanka
Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir akan mengadakan lawatan rasmi ke ibu negara Sri Lanka, Colombo, dari 9-12 Okt ini.
Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan sokong negara Palestin berdasarkan sempadan pra-1967
Maldives, Sri Lanka dan Pakistan telah memperbaharui sokongan mereka terhadap penubuhan sebuah negara Palestin dalam sempadan sebelum 1967.
Kes bunuh: Hutang dipercayai motif pembunuhan tiga warga Sri Lanka - Polis
Motif pembunuhan tiga warga Sri Lanka di Jalan Perhentian Kampung Kovil hilir, Sentul pada 22 September lalu dipercayai berpunca daripada masalah wang dan hutang.
Polis yakin suspek kes tiga mayat ditemukan bertindan masih di Malaysia
Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid berkata, semakan yang dilakukan polis mendapati tiada rekod kedua-dua suspek keluar dari negara.