Singaporean getai singer Wang Lei, 61, has decided to use his platform for a worthy cause. Photo: Wang Lei/Instagram
Singaporean artiste Wang Lei has raised RM600,000 in just 50 minutes to aid flood relief efforts in Malaysia.
The fundraising event was held Monday (March 6) via a Facebook live stream, titled "Flood In Malaysia".
In the 58-minute broadcast, Wang Lei shared images of the devastation caused by the flood while simultaneously encouraging his legion of fans to help Malaysia during this difficult time.
After the live stream ended, the 61-year-old made a lengthy post expressing his gratitude to netizens who contributed to the cause.
"Even though I'm a Singaporean, I can't turn a blind eye after seeing how badly the floods (in Malaysia) have destroyed the livelihoods of countless families, so I came to appeal for donations.
"Our original goal was to raise RM300,000 to help flood victims in Malaysia. But within 50 minutes of the broadcast, we raised RM600,000 (so far, there is still money coming in), far beyond the initial target," he wrote.
Wang Lei also mentioned in his post that for transparency purposes, he will not be using the proceeds to buy the necessities himself. Instead, it will be handed over to the volunteer teams in Malaysia.
This isn't the first time Wang Lei has raised funds for Malaysian flood victims.
In 2021, the getai singer raised over RM600,000 within a few days to help contribute to the cause. In a live session on Facebook then, he shared that he had assigned his team in Penang to help pack food and necessities in the disaster area.
"I know that I'm always funny and playful during my livestreams, but this time I decided to be serious. Please help Malaysia as much as you can," he said.
Recently, thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes after floods hit six states in Malaysia namely, Johor, Pahang, Melaka, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Sarawak.
According to a report in The Star, the flooding in Johor has yet to see major improvement, with the number of evacuees still hovering over the 40,000 mark.
As of 8am on Wednesday (March 8), a total of 40,141 evacuees from 11,468 families are seeking relief at 202 temporary flood relief centres (PPS).
