Help your communities by joining MRC, Miri youths encouraged
MIRI: Malaysian Red Crescent ( MRC) Sarawak chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan is calling for more Mirians, especially the youths, to join the organisation.
He points out that being involved in charity work and community programmes through MRC would give the youth the chance to learn more about leadership, which is vital if they aspire to become future leaders of their respective communities.
“The MRC also instils in its members a strong sense of discipline and also nurtures the spirit of willingness to help others,” said Dr Chan, who is a former deputy chief minister, in his opening remarks at MRC Miri Annual Parade 2018, which took place at Miri City Council ( MCC) field yesterday.
The event gathered 23 contingents from primary and secondary schools around the city, as well as those representing Miri Sunflower Centre and Kidney Dialysis Centre.
According to Dr Chan, MRC Miri houses a number of key units tasked with helping the poor and needy members of society – these units include the Link Unit, its Youth Unit, the Voluntary Aid Detachment ( VAD), the 3R (reduce, reuse,recycle) Unit, Blood Donation Unit, Kidney Dialysis Centre and Miri Sunflower Centre.
“I, as the chairman of MRC Miri, am very proud of all these units because they have done a wonderful job.
“Our contribution to the community is enhanced with the setting up of our dialysis centre, which plays an important role by helping to reduce the burden and suffering faced by kidney patients and their families. The cost of dialysis is very high but without it, the lives of patients will be at risk,” he said.
Dr Chan also expressed his gratitude to Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin – also MRC Miri deputy chairman – and his team who had spent many hours with MRC members and friends in ensuring that the dialysis centre would run without any interference – a service that the local community is very aware of and grateful for.
Dr Chan also expressed his pride in seeing the collaboration between MRC Miri and Miri Hospital in blood donation activities.
“We know that there are many things that need to be done with for the Miri community, and through MRC Miri, we are able to do a lot of things.
“Still we need more manpower which at times, we lack of – this makes us unable to do things that we would like to do,” he said.
On the parade, Dr Chan said it has grown further over the years – thanks to the strong support and cooperation from various parties, including local community leaders.
“Even the march performed by our young members is getting more disciplined – the participants are beginning to become marching experts,” he quipped.