JKM, McDonald’s Malaysia and RMHC teams celebrating the birthdays of children from Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah in Seremban.
CORPORATE social care initiatives are essential in uplifting communities and supporting vulnerable groups.
McDonald’s Malaysia and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Malaysia are back with the McDonald’s and RMHC Community Month programme for 2025, now entering its ninth year.
Organised in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare (JKM), an agency under the Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) Ministry, the programme continues to strengthen public-private partnerships.
Celebrating children
Since 2017, McDonald’s Malaysia has made October a special month by celebrating the birthdays of orphans and children with special needs nationwide.
This year, McDonald’s birthday celebration programmes will reach nearly 6,000 children across more than 120 welfare institutions managed by JKM.
“Community Month is one of the main programmes of McDonald’s Malaysia. It reflects our responsibility as a member of the community, ensuring that children can experience joy and create lasting memories.
“This year is even more special because this collaboration allows us to ensure that this programme truly reaches the grassroots community and children in need through JKM’s established network,” said McDonald’s Malaysia corporate communications director and RMHC deputy secretary Shamsidar Yahya.
“We hope that this collaboration will serve as a catalyst to encourage more private companies to come forward in fulfilling their social responsibilities while bringing broader benefits to the Malaysians,” she added.
A dance performance by the children from Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah.
Welcoming the implementation of the programme, JKM operations deputy director-general Rosmahwati Ishak said, “We truly appreciate McDonald’s Malaysia’s consistent efforts in caring for the people’s welfare, especially children in need.
“The strength of the McDonald’s nationwide restaurant chain enables assistance to reach all levels of society, including hard-to-reach locations. This is a great example of how the private sector can be a strategic partner of the government in strengthening the country’s social care ecosystem.”
“McDonald’s is not only fulfilling its social responsibility but also acting as a catalyst to inspire other companies to take after this noble effort.”
Inclusive support
At the same event, RMHC also announced the construction of an integrated sensory therapy room at Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah, an institution for disabled children in Seremban.
With special equipment and rehabilitation personnel, this room is capable of providing up to 120 therapy sessions per month to help children with autism, ADHD, as well as sensory and cognitive development challenges.
A total of 96 children from the institution will benefit from the facility, while it will also be open to neighbouring Community-based Rehabilitation Centres (PDK).
It will also serve as a training hub in Negeri Sembilan, exposing more educators and therapists to early intervention.
To realise this effort, RMHC contributed RM50,000 for the therapy room’s construction, while McDonald’s Malaysia channelled an additional RM10,000 to support activities that create joyful experiences for the institution’s children.
“RMHC is committed to providing support that has a significant impact on children. With this sensory therapy room, we hope that children with special needs will become more confident, independent and able to develop their potential,” said RMHC general manager Mohd Nasri Mohd Nordin.
Meanwhile, Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah principal Khairunnisa Zainal was honoured to have been selected as part of this year’s Community Month programme.
“The presence of McDonald’s and RMHC have truly brought joy to our children. This therapy room will be a tremendous asset that will have a long-term impact on their development,” said Khairunnisa.
Shamsidar (far left) handing over a mock cheque representing a RM50,000 contribution to Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah principal Khairunnisa (second from right) for the construction of the sensory therapy room in Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah, in the presence of Rosmahwati (second from left) and Nasri (far right).
In addition to the therapy room, RMHC also supports the community through four other initiatives: “Ronald McDonald House”, “Ronald McDonald Sensory Room”, “Gift of Smile” and the “Back to School Pack” programme. They are designed to ensure that children receive comprehensive support in terms of welfare, health and education.
Since its introduction, the McDonald’s and RMHC Community Month programme has been a core part of Mekdi’s commitment to staying connected with the community. Each year, more than 10,000 community activities are held nationwide, benefiting hundreds of thousands of Malaysians.
