Sim tells local communities to do more charity work

KUCHING: Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian calls for more proactive steps towards encouraging more philanthropic activities among members of the local communities.

According to him, it is ‘not right’ for them to just wait for government assistance as everyone has roles to play in any community.

“If one community is just depending on the government, it is not possible to truly say that this is my community,” said Dr Sim, who is also SUPP president, at a charity event here yesterday.

He added that the government was already doing its best to look out for and meet the expectations of each community and welfare body across the state. Still, he noted that there were still gaps that needed to be ‘closed’, especially in terms of the people’s welfare and social wellbeing.

“This is why everybody needs to play their roles in filling up these gaps. Every member of the community should come and work together.”

Dr Sim also stressed that more often than not, charity could come in many forms – not just cash donations to the needy.

“The amount of time spent on doing voluntary work for the community or under any welfare organisation is also a form of charity. It is not just the amount of money that you give – it all goes down to the sincerity of giving, be it money or time,” said Dr Sim, who is Batu Kawah assemblyman.

On that same note, he said the action by certain quarters blaming the government for not helping enough in terms of welfare were actually fuelled by bad intentions, all aimed at misleading the people.