Force of Nature concert raises RM12m

PETALING JAYA: The Force of Nature Concert for Tsunami Aid held in Bukit Jalil on March 18 has raised RM12mil, the Force of Nature Aid Foundation (FON) said yesterday. 

So far, about RM1.5mil has been spent for six rehabilitation projects for victims in places like Banda Aceh, said Tan Sri Razali Ismail, chairman of the Board of Trustees of FON and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Tsunami Relief. 

The concert had featured international names such as Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, Lauryn Hill and local singers like Sheila Majid and Anuar Zain. 

“We have only used around RM1.5mil so far, but the money is definitely not enough so we are looking for strategic partners such as the UNHCR to help us out,” Razali told a press conference yesterday. 

FON chief executive officer Steve McCoy said they would need time to evaluate future projects so that they would get the best out of the funds available. 

“We put in half a million on Post-Disaster Reconstruction Learning of Indian Ocean Tsunami, which is a huge regional effort to facilitate how victims and governments could cope after a natural disaster struck,” said McCoy.  

He said the foundation was focused on fundraising and in raising public awareness of any natural disaster-hit communities.