KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time, the Defence Ministry and the private defence industry jointly held a charity dinner to raise RM251,600 for the Iraqi People's Humanitarian Fund yesterday.
Its minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the sum raised was beyond expectation and he thanked the contributors for their generosity.
He said it might appear odd to some quarters that the defence industry and ministry, which were involved in making weapons, were on the other hand making contributions to war victims.
“I must stress that whatever weapons that we develop are for the purpose of defending the country,'' said Najib during the dinner at the Putra World Trade Centre.
More than 350 guests attended the event organised jointly by the ministry and DSA Exhibition and Conference Sdn Bhd.
Najib who received the cheque for RM251,600 later handed it over to Wisma Putra deputy secretary general III Datuk Siddiq Firdause Haji Mohd Ali.
Among those who contributed to the fund were Advance Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd, Aerospace Technology System Corporation Sdn Bhd, DRB-Hicom Defence Tech-nologies Sdn Bhd, Eurocraft Sdn Bhd, and DSA Exhibition and Conference Sdn Bhd.
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FOR A GOOD CAUSE:Najib handing over a mock cheque to Siddiq Firdause (left)during the dinner at Putra World Trade Centre yesterday. |
