Donations handed over

> Mercy receives RM233,246 collected for Penang flood relief efforts

PETALING JAYA: theSun yesterday handed over donations of RM233,246 collected from the public to Mercy Malaysia for its relief operations following the storm that wrecked Penang early last month.

theSun’s Flood Relief Fund was launched in early November following the devastation and had reached the amount within three weeks.

theSun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd executive director Ching Chun Keat handed the mock cheque to Mercy president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Perdaus in a ceremony at theSun office yesterday.

Ching recalled the newspaper’s own relief mission to hand out aid to 17 different villages, welfare homes and organisations, and thanked readers and contributors who had donated to the fund.

“The day the flood happened, we did not hesitate to do our part to help the victims. The fund is for everyone, we don’t care about your race, religion or background,” Ching said in his speech.

In his speech, Ahmad Faizal said the money collected by the fund will be used for disaster prepapredness in Penang and also post-flood relief recovery efforts.

“There are some areas still affected. Giving essential items, rehabilitating the houses affected, looking at post-flood medical and psycho-social relief are some of our tasks,” he added.

Besides the relief fund, theSun also did its part in distributing over RM160,000 worth of essential goods on both the island and mainland.