SUNGAI PETANI, Malaysia, December 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Expressing his country’s readiness to offer relief aid and work with other Asian countries to come up with warning systems, Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Badawi declared Wednesday, 29 December that prayers for the thousands of Asian victims will, this year, replace celebrations, to usher in the new year.

The government would cancel all entertainment programs on New Year's Eve in respect for the victims, Badawi said during a visit to Kampung Kepala Jalan, Kota Kuala Muda here during a tour of the tsunami-hit areas, according to Bernama News Agency.

“We will replace it with a day of prayers. We will pray that the country will not face such a problem again. I appeal to all races to pray in their own way so that Malaysia will be a peaceful and vibrant country.”

Badawi, who cut short a European holiday to return home following the disaster, hoped that through the prayers, the country would be protected from future disasters and tragedies.

“Let us also pray that that those facing hardship (following the tsunami) will have the fortitude to overcome their losses,” he said.

“We hope that those who have suffered damage and loss of livelihood will strive even harder to ensure that their sources of income are restored.”

The Prime Minister also called on mosques throughout the country to conduct sermons related to the catastrophic event and to reach out to the tsunami victims to help them overcome their grief and hardship.

As for Non-Muslims, Abdullah called on them to also pray for whatever would be for the best of the people and the country according to their own practices and beliefs.

Badawi, center, during his visit to the tsunami-stricken village of Permatang Damar Laut in Penang. (AFP)

During the visit, the Prime Minister announced that he agreed with the proposal by Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop for aid to the tsunami victims be increased, Bernama said.

He said that for every house damaged, an additional payment of RM2,000 would be given while RM5,000 would be given for every house which was destroyed. Fishermen whose lost their boats will be given RM1,000 for smaller boats and RM3,000 for bigger boats.

Abdullah also thanked the mainstream newspapers which had organized a fund-raising drive for the tsunami victims and praised the generosity of Malaysians during difficult times.

He said that the assistance would be disbursed according to a fair and just formula to avoid any problem in the future. He also called on the victims to provide accurate information including their addresses, identity card numbers and other particulars.

Badawi also asked government agencies to hand out assistance as quickly as possible, adding that aid would not be the same for all the victims or their next-of-kin because the assessment would be based on the sustained loss of life or loss of property.

The Malaysian Premier urged donors to channel their contributions directly to the committees set up in the areas hit by the tsunami Sunday. This was to avoid any unfair distribution of the aid, the prime minister said.

He said that he was not questioning the motive of the donors but if the disbursement was not done properly, the good intention would turn bad and unfairness would cause dissatisfaction besides marring the good intention.

“As such, channel the aid directly to the committees that have been set up because only these committees know who are eligible for aid,” he said at the presentation of aid to Kuala Muda residents whose loved ones perished in the tsunami, at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kota Kuala Muda.

On the health aspect, he hoped that the relevant parties like the Health Department would act fast to provide the vaccinations and medications needed by the victims to prevent the spread of diseases.

Malaysia can lay claim to be the “miracle baby” of Sunday’s disaster that began with a massive earthquake off Indonesia and triggered a tidal wave that killed tens of thousands of people in eight Asian countries, Agence France-Presse (AFP) said.

Although it lies closer to the epicenter of the earthquake, Malaysia suffered far fewer deaths than other countries. But families have still been ripped apart and homes destroyed.

Most of the 65 deaths Malaysia suffered were on the resort island of Penang.

Abdullah said many people had asked him if the authorities could have warned the public about the tsunami.

“We never expected this huge wave. We never experienced this before,” he said.