FCAS comes to the aid of Lahad Datu Hospital
KOTA KINABALU: The Federation of Sabah Chinese Associations (FCAS) continues to reach out to those government agencies in the state which are fighting Covid-19 in the frontlines.
Just one day after handing over 100 cartons of Spitzer mineral water and some teabags which were sponsored by Yee Lee Trading Sdn Bhd, to the State police contingent, on Tuesday, the Federation presented a host of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) and medical equipment to the Lahad Datu district hospital.
The said medical aid was made following a request from Tan Cheng Teng, a Central Committee member of FCAS, upon learning that the Lahad Datu district hospital was facing an acute shortage of PPEs and other essential medical equipment.
The donated items included 2,000 sets of surgical gloves, 1,700 pieces of surgical caps, which were donated by the public, and 10 units of blood pressure monitors which were purchased by FCAS.
Tan handed over the items to Lahad Datu District Health Officer, Dr Amirul Hisham Zainol on behalf of FCAS.
In a press release issued yesterday, FCAS president Tan Sri TC Goh noted that due to restriction of the ongoing Movement Control Order (MCO), there was only so much that it could do to assist the Lahad Datu district hospital, when in actual fact the hospital currently was still in need of many protective gears, body temperature readers and ventilators.
Thus, he appealed to individuals, business operators and organisations who have access to and are keen to contribute such items, to get in touch with Tan at 019-8535390 or contact the FCAS Secretariat at 0168062177.
Meanwhile, Goh who is also the president of The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) was glad to note that the ongoing nationwide fundraising campaign to combat Covid-19, which FCAS is a party to it, has been receiving positive response from some leading business corporations, including those based in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Many organisations are reaching out to us for help and we would do our best to assist,” he said.
Besides this, he also reminded the people to make sure they put on the face mask when going out during the MCO period, and to properly dispose it after use, instead of recycling it.
He stressed that this is important towards preventing the virus from spreading and thus undermining the intended purpose of MCO.
He also acknowledged that while the government had fixed the ceiling price for face mask at RM1.50 per piece, it was currently still acutely in short supply in the market.
FCAS also gathered feedback from business operators that face mask suppliers in China were hiking the price of face masks due to a drastic demand worldwide besides an escalating costs of raw materials.
Thus, Goh opined that unless the government was willing to provide subsidy for import of face masks, the public would continue to face a tough situation in acquiring them in the market.