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THE Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) Penang branch has assumed a role as the society’s Northern Logistics Hub for Disaster Response.

The branch chairman Ir. Saw Ewe Yong said the decision was made following the branch’s involvement in helping Kedah and Perlis during the recent floods and fire.  “For this role, the headquarters has provided the branch with two rescue boats,” he said.

He was at the presentation of service awards to 73 members in conjunction with World Red Crescent Day recently.

Saw said in the past, MRCS only provided ambulance and non-emergency services.  “We are now seriously looking into providing 24-hour emergency services,” he said.

The temporary settlement for tsunami victims in Batu Ferringhi, Penang, took on a carnival-like atmosphere recently in a gotong royong to make dodol.  Residents and Malaysian Red Crescent Society members joined hands to make the local cake, which is made from glutinuous rice, coconut milk and palm sugar.

(From right)Penang MRCS chairman Saw Ewe Yong,Dr Koh and Ahmad joining in to help cook dodol.

The event was organised by Maxis Communications, which also hosted a buka puasa dinner for the 98 families living at the settlement. The company also gave cookies and sarongs to the residents while the Sultanah Bahiyah Foundation from Kedah gave RM100 duit raya to each family.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, who was the guest of honour, presented the items to the families. Dr Koh commended Maxis for organising such an event to cheer up the people for Deeparaya. He advised the people to work together to face adver-sities like the tsunami and dengue outbreak.  Also present was advisor to the Maxis chief executive officer, Datuk Ahmad A. Talib.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, who was the guest of honour, presented the items to the families. Dr Koh commended Maxis for organising such an event to cheer up the people for Deeparaya. He advised the people to work together to face adversities like the tsunami and dengue outbreak.  Also present was advisor to the Maxis chief executive officer, Datuk Ahmad A. Talib.

UPON learning that the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) Penang branch was seeking funds to buy a four-wheel drive (4WD) for disaster response operations, one company decided to give them such a vehicle.

The Boeing Company promptly donated a Ford Ranger worth RM100,000.

The regional vice-president of South-East Asia Paul Walters said the vehicle would be used to carry rescue personnel and equipment to disaster sites.

“The funding for the vehicle comes at a time when the Malaysian government and the MRCS are upgrading disaster response services,” he said, adding that Boeing shared the sentiment of the countries affected by the tsunami in December last year.

Walters handed the mock key for the vehicle to Penang Governor Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, patron of the MRCS Penang branch, during the Annual Dinner recently.

The branch chairman Ir. Saw Ewe Yong said as a voluntary organisation which depended totally on fundraising to carry out its activities and projects, the branch required a minimum annual funding of RM500,000 for various training programmes.

MRCS national chairman Tunku Tan Sri Shahriman Tunku Sulaiman also commended the Penang branch for its active role during the tsunami disaster.

“The branch was actively involved in search and rescue, counselling, health care, mass cooking and other relief operations,” he said.

The event raised a gross sum of RM155,000 for the society.

Aug 20 (Bernama) — The Boeing Company has presented a four-wheel-drive vehicle to the Penang branch of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) as part of efforts to improve the quality of life in the communities in which it operates.

“The four-wheel drive will enable the society to be in a better position to render medical aid in remote areas in times of disaster,” said Boeing’s Regional Vice-President Paul Walters.  He said the US$28,000 (RM103,600) gift was decided by Boeing after a devastating tsunami hit Penang on Dec 26 last year.

Prior to the tsunami disaster, Boeing had donated an ambulance to the Penang branch of the MRCS last year but it was subsequently felt that a 4WD vehicle would serve the society better, especially in remote areas.

More than 60 people were killed by the tidal waves in Malaysia following an earthquake off Indonesia’s Aceh coast on Boxing Day.  As part of its good corporate citizenship efforts, Boeing had budgeted US$44 million worldwide “to put back into the communities where we live and work and 10 per cent of that is spent internationally,” said Walters.

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The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) will set aside RM5mil from its tsunami relief fund for several projects in the next two years in the tsunami-hit Kota Kuala Muda in Kedah.

National deputy chairman Hisham Harun Hashim said the allocation was from a total of its RM22mil raised for the relief fund.

The project included the planting of mangrove saplings in Kota Kuala Muda area, which would help ‘shield’ the villagers there from future disasters, he said.

“We are trying to get experts from the Vietnamese Red Cross which has successfully planted mangrove saplings in several villages there to help us.

“We are finalising the details and hope to start work on it by the end of the year,” he said at the National First Aid Competition 2005 at Safira Country Club Seberang Jaya here yesterday.

Hisham said the MRCS would, among others, construct a multi-purpose hall and a pre-school building in the same area, noting that the RM5mil would benefit 300-odd villagers.

He said of the remaining RM17mil from the tsunami relief fund, RM2.5mil had so far been spent on emergency relief, healthcare, water and sanitisation for victims in the northern states.

He said monetary aid was not disbursed to the tsunami victims in Penang because the state had collected and disbursed sufficient funds to them.

On relief funds for Indonesia, he said it planned to spend about RM14.5mil in North Sumatra on infrastructure and other facilities, including two orphanages in Banda Aceh and Pidie.

It would also adopt a village in Blang Bangat, Lhokseumawe, he said adding that 20 Malaysian MRCS volunteers would leave for Banda Aceh next month to do the necessary groundwork for the projects.

Earlier, Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, who opened the event, said the commitment by MRCS members in providing humanitarian aid to the tsunami victims, irrespective of race, religion, creed or nationality was highly commendable.

MALAYSIAN RED CRESCENT APPEALS FOR FUNDS TO SUPPORT VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE AND TIDAL WAVES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA

The Malaysian Red Crescent, following a preliminary appeal by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, has launched an appeal for funds to support the Red Cross/Red Crescent international relief operations in support of victims of the strongest earthquake in 40 years and tidal waves that devastated the coastal areas in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

The initial appeal from the International Federation for 7.5 million Swiss Francs is to assist some 500,000 people affected in the Region. According to local authorities at least 6,000 people have been killed and more than 1 million has been misplaced. The International Federation has sent immediate medical supplies for 100,000 people to Sri Lanka, one of the hardest hit countries in Asia.

At the local front, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society has been mobilized in affected states of Penang , Perlis, Kedah and Perak to assist the local authorities in search and rescue, relief and tracing operations.

The MRCS active participation in the Regional Disaster Management Team (RDMT), has prompted an immediate response for a contribution of USD10,000 to the Indonesian Red Cross to assist the people of Acheh. A 5-member relief team comprising of a doctor and 4 relief workers will be sent to Acheh to assist the Indonesian Red Cross Society (Palang Merah Indonesia) in coordinating relief assistance and other support services.

The Malaysian Red Crescent Society, is appealing to members of the general public, private sectors and organizations for generous contributions towards the MRCS Relief Fund established to provide financial and relief assistance to people affected by disasters.

Caring Malaysians and members of international communities are kindly urged to join the NST, TV3 and MRCS collaborative effort to expedite humanitarian action, locally, regionally and internationally. All cash contribution are tax-exempted and are to be made payable to “MRCS Relief Fund” or call 603- 42578122 for details.

The Malaysian Red Crescent Society is dedicated to the alleviation of human suffering, regardless of race and religion. Its humanitarian services are broad and ranges from playing an active role in disaster relief, ambulance service and first aid, to providing health and community services and refugee rehabilitation. It was established in Malaysia in 1948 and now has 15 branches and over 290,000 volunteers nation-wide.