Malaysians should do more for Tabung Harapan — lecturer

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should be more proactive in donating to Tabung Harapan, including by organising crowdfunding activities at community level nationwide to help the government settle the country’s debts.

Speaking from a common man’s perspective, medical faculty lecturer Prof Dr G. Suresh Kumar proposed that Malaysians who could afford should donate RM100 a month for the good initiative.

“I think we as Malaysians should do our part to ease the burden and become a good example to stand tall. If one million people could put a side RM100 a month, we will have RM100 million a month… in a year, you spend RM1,200 and you will get tax exemption anyway.

“Those who cannot afford to contribute RM100 can still do their part by reducing unnecessary expenses, such as reduce smoking and drinking alcohol, and channel the money saved into the fund,“said the head of University Malaya’s Department of Parasitology.

Since the fund’s launch on May 30, about RM74.6 million (as of 3pm, Sunday) have been donated by patriotic Malaysians to the fund, a far cry from the RM1 trillion debt left behind by the previous administration.

“Apart from that, we also need more fundraising movements and volunteerism activities from various parties, including nongovernmental organisations (NGO). Something like the car washing initiative by a group of teenagers in Jalan Klang Lama about two weeks ago,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Inspired by the South Koreans who queued up to donate their valuables to save the East Asian country during the 1997 financial crisis, where as much as 226 tonnes of gold collected in the 1998 campaign, Dr Suresh Kumar said that was the kind of message Malaysians should show to the world.

“Can you imagine people from all walks of life had lined up to donate gold for their beloved country? From wedding rings, necklace to gold medals won by athletes. We should do something to save our ‘Ibu Pertiwi yang sakit’ (ailing motherland). Maybe, prominent organisations should take the lead,” he noted.

Dr Suresh Kumar also suggested that locals should avoid foreign holidays in the meantime and spend their money on local holidays and Malaysianmade products to give a boost to the local economy.

The Government had done its part by cutting the salary of the ministers, reducing the number of ministries and governmentlinked companies (GLC), now it’s the time for the ‘rakyat’ to do their part, he said.

Donations to Tabung Harapan can be made through deposits at Maybank account 566010626452. Tax exemptions would also be given to all donors, including companies.