PUTRAJAYA, July 23 (Sin Chew Daily) — A total of 180,000 face masks contributed by Yayasan Sin Chew, Buddhist groups Fo Guang Shan and the Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) are distributed to students as schools resume their classes on Wednesday.

The 180,000 face masks, 50,000 made of fabrics, were handed over to deputy education minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon to be delivered to needy teachers and students.

The fabric face mask, which has a filter, can be repeatedly washed for 100 times, thus reducing financial burden for parents.

The fabric face masks have the message "do good deeds, say good words and harbor good thoughts" printed on them.

Mah, in accepting the masks, said they would be distributed to teachers and students.

Venerable Jue Cheng, Chief Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, said another 20,000 fabric face masks had been distributed to schools while 110,000 would be distributed to schools applying for them.

A total of 60,000 face masks are distributed to Johor Bahru and Kluang, 10,000 to schools in Pahang and 50,000 to schools in the central region.

A total of 46 primary and secondary schools in Johor receive more than 50,000 face masks.

Venerable Ru Bin, Deputy Abbess of FGS Hsingmasi in Johor Bahru and deputy general manager of Sin Chew Daily in Johor Mai Jue Feng handed over 3,500 face masks to SJKC Kuo Kuang 2 in Skudai.

Venerable Ru Bin said the face masks would be delivered to schools in Johor by FGS Hsingmasi over the next few days based on applications made by the students.

"Students from poor families will be given priority. We will also import fabric face masks from Thailand," she added.

Before delivering the face masks to schools, Yayasan Sin Chew and Fo Guang Shan had collaborated to deliver masks to hospitals around the country.

Face masks are delivered to schools this time in conjunction with school reopening.