Flood-affected kids get help
Golf tournament raises RM1.23mil for needy S’wak students
PETALING JAYA: A charity golf tournament for the Rural Kids Education Fund has raised RM1.23mil to help flood-affected students in interior Sarawak.
Launched in February, its objective was to raise RM1mil for 10,000 students from 112 schools that were affected by floods in January.
Organising chairman of the tournament Datuk Richard Lee said a group of Sarawakian industry leaders came together to organise the event.
The floods in northern Sarawak that badly affected the Baram province caused native people of 15 long houses to be displaced from their homes.
Lee said the charity golf tournament will be held at the Samarahan Country Club, Kota Samarahan, near Kuching on Sunday. Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas is the patron of the tournament.
Food and education aid charity MyKasih Foundation will work with the Sarawak government to disburse aid to an estimated 1,700 pupils.
MyKasih Foundation chairman Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat said a cashless system for the recipients to buy food, exercise books and sta- tionery with their MyKad would be used.
“We don’t give them cash to ensure the donations will not be abused,” Dr Ngau said at a cheque presentation ceremony at Menara Star yesterday.
Star Foundation – the charitable arm of Star Media Group Bhd, Orando Holdings, Shell Malaysia and Roc Oil each donated RM30,000 to the fund, while Asia Pacific Investment Bank and CIMB Islamic Bank contributed RM50,000 each.
In his speech, Star Media Group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai said: “Sabah and Sarawak need more of our attention. We welcome other charities in Sabah and Sarawak to get in touch with us.”
Lauding the timely effort, CIMB Islamic Bank chief executive officer Rafe Haneef said CIMB group believed no child should be left behind in education.
Also present at the event were MyKasih Foundation managing director Jeffrey Perera, Shell Malaysia general manager (Project East and Country Project Technology lead) Simon Ong, Orando Holdings managing director Datuk Dr Eng Wei Chun and organising committee members of the charity golf tournament.