Vowing to keep helping NGOs

PETALING JAYA: Star Foundation will continue to channel allocations to assist NGOs in need despite challenging times for the media industry.

In making the pledge, Star Media Group Bhd chairman Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said it has been the company’s long-term commitment to help NGOs with worthy causes.

“It is a challenging time for all businesses, especially the media and companies.

“Although we are facing the challenges, there are others in society and NGOs who are facing even greater challenges, especially when the economy is not too good.

“With businesses being frugal, it’s even more difficult for NGOs to secure donations.

“We are still committed and we can still do it. So we will continue to do whatever we can in helping NGOs to carry out good deeds,” he said during a cheque presentation ceremony in aid of 10 NGOs at Menara Star here yesterday.

A total of RM580,380 was disbursed to 19 NGOs from the foundation, which is Star Media Group’s charitable arm set up in 2004.

“Since its inception, we have disbursed over RM18.6mil to 275 organisations to help them run programmes related to social welfare, environment, health and other causes close to our heart.

“Today we are presenting to 10 of them which are based in the Klang Valley, while for those in Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak, we will reach out to them soon,” Fu said.

The foundation, he added, is thankful for donations from the general public and regular corporate donors such as Mitraland Development Sdn Bhd, German Motors Sdn Bhd and Liqui Moly Asia Pacific.

Insaf Malaysia received RM70,000, while National Stroke Association of Malaysia, National Cancer Society of Malaysia, SOS Missions Bhd, Hospis Malaysia and Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia received RM30,000 each.

Lovely Nursing Centre, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pusat Jagaan Sri Mesra (Mesra Home), Cancer Advocacy Society of Malaysia and Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak Tuanku Bainun received RM20,000 each.

Faezah Ali, manager of Mesra Home, said she was thankful for Star Foundation’s donation that will be used to support the operating costs in caring for elderly and unmarried Muslim women.

“The donation means a lot to a small home like ours in caring for the 15 women, while teaching them skills to be independent.

“We are truly thankful because this is the first time we got a donation of this amount,” she said.

Wan Aminah Wan Suffian, general manager of PKK Tuanku Bainun, said the allocation will be used to raise public awareness of the needs of underprivileged children for creativity-based education.

“We also work with children from juvenile schools, teaching them visual art, 24-season drum or dancing, depending on their interest,” she said.

A special poster completed by some 20 children from the centre was presented to Fu as a token of appreciation.

Hospis Malaysia’s communications director Tham Su Ming said the donation will help the organisation provide home-based palliative care to patients.

“RM30,000 can support a junior nurse for a year to treat and care for a patient with palliative needs, and advising caregivers how to look after a patient, typically with end-stage cancer, organ failure, late-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s,” she said.