FOR Southern Volunteer M. Surender, a cold canned drink from an elderly woman remains the most meaningful token of appreciation he has ever received.
The 36-year-old said the encounter took place while he was going door to door in the rural enclave of Kangkar Baru, Yong Peng, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to assist residents with vaccination-related issues.
“She was trying to explain something to me, but she only spoke Mandarin and I could not understand her.
“So, I quickly called over her next-door neighbour, an uncle who spoke a little Bahasa Malaysia, to help translate.
“I later found out that she had lost her physical vaccination card and did not know how to use a smartphone despite owning one,” said the former teacher, who is currently pursuing a full-time PhD in Education at Universiti Malaya.
He then took her phone with her permission, contacted the MySejahtera hotline and managed to retrieve her digital first-dose certificate and lock in her second appointment slot on the spot.
“It was a routine technical fix for me, but it meant the world to her. She began crying as she thanked me in Mandarin.
“The most moving moment came after I had wrapped up my work and walked back to my team’s transit van, and suddenly the driver told me someone was running toward the vehicle. I looked out the window and saw the auntie chasing after us.
“She had hurried to get a cold canned drink and hand it to me to show her appreciation,” he said, adding that the memory remains fresh in his mind to this day.
Surender said his lifelong passion for community work was inspired by his father and grew stronger after he began volunteering while waiting for his Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) results at the age of 19.
“When I started doing social work myself, I began to really see the importance of it and how much society needed it,” he said, adding that his journey with Southern Volunteers allowed him to experience many meaningful moments.
For Surender, the true reward of volunteering lies in knowing that his efforts could make life a little easier for those in need.
“My advice to those who want to explore volunteerism is to just go for it. There are no words I can use to describe the joy it brings.
“You cannot truly understand volunteer work through a lecture or a textbook. It is entirely a matter of the heart.
“You only truly feel its weight the moment someone looks at you, completely relieved, and gives you a simple ‘thank you’,” he said.
Surender is not alone in finding fulfilment through helping others.
Swimming instructor Muhammad Adnan Wahid, 32, said he still remembers the gratitude shown by flood victims whom he and other volunteers assisted during clean-up efforts a few years ago.
“I remember the many uncles and aunties who thanked my fellow volunteers and me, some even in tears, as we helped them clean up their homes after a flood a few years ago,” he recalled.
“We do not expect anything. Our intention is only to help, but when we see the look on their faces as they express their gratitude, we are reminded of how much such simple acts meant to them.”
Muhammad Adnan said volunteering comes naturally to him as he grew up in Kampung Pasir Putih, where helping neighbours was part of daily life.
“From a young age, I joined my father in all kinds of community initiatives.
“It is just a part of who I am. That is why volunteering feels very natural to me,” he said.
Merchandiser Azira Zailina Zaiman, 45, also believes the desire to help others comes naturally.
She has been involved in volunteer work since her school days through various extracurricular activities.
“Bit by bit, I saw its significance and doing such work came naturally. There is this innate feeling to just want to help where I can,” she explained.
“I know I am unable to help in terms of money, but what I can contribute is my energy and my time, which I believe is even more meaningful.”
Azira Zailina became a member of Southern Volunteers about five years ago while taking part in the Malaysia Vaccine Support Volunteers (MyVAC) programme during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Since then, I have been an active member of Southern Volunteers and have been involved in all kinds of initiatives, including those involving floods and food basket distribution,” she said.
She also encouraged those interested in volunteering to start small within their own communities.
“To me, the simple task of removing a fallen tree branch from the middle of the road to avoid anyone from getting into an accident is already a form of social work.
“The small things matter too and perhaps eventually, when you see the impact of your kindness, you may be inspired to do more.”
Echoing a similar sentiment was senior engineer Lim Kian Soon, 49, who said he decided to fully commit himself to volunteer work after experiencing kindness firsthand decades ago.
“The inspiration came when my friend, whom I had known for about a year at that time, helped to carry my late father from the second floor of my house and took us to the hospital.
“My father was battling cancer at that time and was unable to walk.
“It was just my father and me at the time, and I did not have a vehicle of my own to transport him to the clinic, so I decided to call a friend,” he recalled.
Lim, who works in Singapore, said he tries his best to respond to calls to serve with Southern Volunteers despite his busy schedule.
“I normally use my weekends to help out and if I can, I will also serve at night after I am done with work.
“Sometimes, I also take leave from work if I really need to be around for the programme.
“At the same time, I have also been encouraging others to join Southern Volunteers because I feel it is a very rewarding experience that also allows them to get to know people from all walks of life.
“They do not have to commit all their time. Suffice for them to just help out whenever they can,” Lim added.
Meanwhile, Johor youth, sports, entrepreneur development, and cooperatives committee chairman Datuk Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said Southern Volunteers has evolved into a cornerstone of the state’s humanitarian legacy since its establishment in December 2020.
“Southern Volunteers has become the primary catalyst in cultivating a spirit of service and humanitarianism among the state’s younger generation.
“Under the patronage of Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Southern Volunteers has become a vital platform for fostering a volunteer culture among young people in Johor,” he said.
Hairi added that the organisation’s impact is most visible during crises, where volunteers serve as welfare ambassadors at the grassroots level to assist those in need.
“The strength of Southern Volunteers lies in its robust grassroots structure, where each district branch is led by the respective mayors and local authority heads.
“This ensures that our programmes are not just state-wide initiatives but are specifically tailored to meet the needs of local communities, whether through environmental programmes or neighbourhood welfare checks,” he said.
He also highlighted the massive growth of the movement, which currently has 36,631 active members.
“We are also very proud of the diversity within our ranks, with registered members ranging from ages 17 to 45.
“A significant number of our most active volunteers are school leavers who choose to dedicate their time to volunteering while waiting for career or education opportunities, proving that our youth are eager to gain meaningful life experiences through service.”
He added that while its primary focus remains on serving the people of Johor, the spirit of Southern Volunteers knows no borders.
“Our teams have previously been mobilised to assist in major flood relief efforts in states like Selangor, demonstrating that we maintain a high state of readiness to provide logistics, manpower and aid whenever and wherever disaster strikes,” he said.
