Pibakat receives RM10,000 donation from Plaza Merdeka
KUCHING: The Sarawak Society for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Pibakat) received a RM10,000 donation from Plaza Merdeka, during the opening ceremony for the Lunar New Year Bazaar at the mall here yesterday.
Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah officiated at the event.
In her remarks, she expressed gratitude for Plaza Merdeka’s contribution to the nongovernmental organisation (NGO).
“As the minister who is in charge of welfare, we really appreciate this and we hope that more people would follow what Plaza Merdeka has done because indeed, NGOs like Pibakat always need extra support from the public, from the community, from the corporate bodies, especially in terms of finances,” she said in her speech.
On the Lunar New Year Bazaar, the minister said it exuded a vibrant atmosphere of inclusivity and unity – sentiments that she regarded as ‘significant in fostering better understanding and respect among members of Sarawak’s diverse communities.
“I would like to commend what I saw just now and how it contributed to the unity in Sarawak.
“As I look around, I see this is Sarawak, not only the Chinese who come and watch what’s happening here, but we see people of other races as well.
“In Sarawak, we watch, we learn, we enjoy and all of us together enjoy the performances as well as the festivities.
“So the beauty of Sarawak is that we are made up of different races and whenever there is a festive occasion, we come together and enjoy each other’s festivals,” she said.
The Lunar New Year Bazaar, open until this Feb 25, promises a plethora of delights including food and beverages, accessories, and clothing from over 10 vendors.
In addition to a ‘cheongsam’ competition and lion dance performances, Plaza Merdeka also introduced a new store, Monozone, and a dining outlet Seoul Chicken yesterday.
Kuching North Datuk Bandar Hilmy Othman, Plaza Merdeka Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Dato Steve Ng and executive director Datin Anriza Wong Cordero, Plaza Merdeka Management Sdn Bhd assistant general manager Sylvester Soh, Divine Will Society trustee and Lion Club Kuching One Earth honorary advisor Dato Sim Kiang Chiok, and Pibakat honorary secretary Ng Kui Choo, were among the guests.