RedCrescentPenang.org.my

PENANG needs an emergency contingency plan.

State Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said it was crucial to establish a response team that could quickly decide what to do when emergencies happened.

“Previously, disaster management committees were only formed after the disasters had happened.

“We need people skilled in areas like first aid, rescue operations and logistics.

“Although I have not presented the proposal for the emergency contingency plan to the state executive council, I have spoken about it with the Chief Minister. He is also concerned,” he said.

Phee was speaking at a press conference recently after closing the 12th Regional Disaster Management Committee Meeting organised by the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) on behalf of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

MRCS secretary-general Major General (Rtd) Datuk Megat Mohd Yusof Megat Mahmud said they provided training to workers and students as part of its ‘A First Aider in Every Home’ initiative, which was organised in collaboration with the Education Ministry and the Youth and Sports Ministry.

“We started in 1994 but re-launched the programme a few years ago. We hope to train five million first aiders in the country by 2010,” he said.

THE Malaysian Red Crescent Society Penang branch has been designated the northern region hub catering to Penang, Kedah and Perlis.

MRCS Penang branch chairman Saw Ewe Yong said the recognition was given by the national headquarters recently. Saw said the Penang branch had good facilities and equipment to cater to the northern region states. “We are grateful for the support given by the public all these years,” he said.

More than 600 people attended the dinner that was held recently at Equatorial Hotel in Penang.  The guest of honour was Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas. Also present was Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Among the highlights were a charity drive, lucky draw and entertainment show.  The guests were also entertained to a batik fashion show, Malay cultural dance and cha-cha dance performance.

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.

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.