Malaysia has donated relief materials valued at US$1.5 million to southwest China's quake-hit Sichuan Province, according to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing.

The materials, including medicine, tents and blankets, had arrived in Chengdu, the Sichuan capital, and been handed over to the local government.

The embassy said in a press release on Monday that various Malaysian associations, foundations and companies, as well as people from all walks of life, had donated to China's earthquake relief efforts.

The Malaysia-China Friendship Association donated 700,000 ringgit (about US$218,982) and the Cheng Ho Multi Culture Education Trust, a multi-religious association, gave 220,000 Hong Kong dollars (about US$28,163). Students and staff of the Lim Kok Wing University of Creative Technology donated 100,000 yuan (US$12,801). The Al-Bukhary Foundation of Malaysia made a donation of US$500,000.

Malaysian companies operating in China also made donations. The Perfect Co. Ltd donated 17 million yuan in cash and health products worth 10 million yuan. Parkson (China) Co. Ltd made a cash donation of 4 million yuan, and Berjaya (China) contributed 500,000 yuan.

The Malaysian government also established a disaster relief fund to continuously collect donations from the Malaysian public to help survivors of the disaster, said the press release.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2008)