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MALAYSIAN Red Crescent Society (MRCS) members will hit the streets of Penang this weekend to seek donations in conjunction with the society’s annual Flag Day.

MRCS Penang branch chairman Saw Ewe Yong said the branch had targeted a collection of RM100,000 this year to cover its expenses. Last year, the expenditure for our activities and operations amounted to RM600,000 and we expect the figure to rise to RM700,000 this year.

“One-third of the expenditure each goes to members’ training, administrative cost and maintenance of our premises and vehicles respectively,” he said at the event’s launching by state executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan at the Penang MRCS headquarters recently.

Leading by example: Dr Teng(second left)contributing some money after launching the Flag Day.

Saw said as a voluntary body, the society did not get any grant from the government and was solely depended on public donations. He said 5,000 members in their white uniforms would go around the streets and shopping complexes with their collection tins.

Organising chairman Chan Hon Kwong said among the activities carried out by the branch was the 24-hour ambulance standby service during festive seasons. “It is through our various fundraising projects that we are able to carry out our humanitarian work to the highest caliber,” he added.

In his speech, Dr Teng lauded the society for organising this mass effort, which reflected the spirit of cooperation. “I strongly appeal to the public to donate generously when approached by the members,” he added.

WITH an expected increase of accident cases during the Chinese New Year period, the Central and South Seberang Prai Malaysian Red Crescent Society has put three ambulances on a 24-hour standby mode for emergency services.

Central and South Seberang Prai Malaysian Red Crescent Society chairman Dr Yang Yit Min said there would be at least a 30% increase in accident cases during the festive period. “These ambulances along with 30 members would compliment the emergency services rendered by Government hospitals.”

“We will be concentrating more on the trunk roads and will make our services available for any emergencies,” he said before the launching the 24-hour service ambulances at Berapit assemblyman YB Lau Chiek Tuan’s service centre in Bukit Mertajam on Thursday.

The 30-member day team works in three shifts for eight days starting Thursday till Feb 22. The service will now be available from 4pm on Feb 17 till 12 midnight on Feb 19. “This is the eighth year we are providing this service and it will cover the area from Nibong Tebal to Seberang Jaya.”

“Our communication system will be connected to the Seberang Jaya Hospital, Sungai Bakap Hospital and Bukit Mertajam Hospital. We will be communicating via the Penang Emergency Area Radio Link (PEARL),” he said.

THE organisers of Penang Buildex 2006 Exhibition, a building industry showcase which was held at the Penang International Sports Arena recently, have donated RM6,500 to two charitable organisations.

Expo organising chairman Lim Hun Swee said the money was part of the revenue from the sale of booths during the three-day event.

The recipients were the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) Penang branch and Sima Handicapped Centre which received RM4,000 and RM2,500 respectively.

Lim handed mock cheques to MRCS Island chapter deputy chairman Nancy Cheah and Sima’s founder William Ch’ng at a simple ceremony recently at the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) at the Penang Chinese Town Hall building.

Penang Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee Chairman YB. Lau Chiek Tuan, PCCC president Datuk Khor Teng Tong and Penang Master Builders and Building Materials Dealers Association (PMBBMDA) president Finn Choong Khuat Seng witnessed the presentation.

TSUNAMI victims, now staying in temporary houses, can look forward to moving into brand new apartments in Tanjung Bungah by the end of next month.

The buka puasa event was jointly organised by Maxis Communications and the Malaysia Red Crescent Society (MRCS).  According to Maxis acting head of corporate affairs Datuk Ahmad A. Talib, this was the second time the company was hosting such an event for the state’s tsunami victims.

“The company will continue organising such gatherings to foster closer relations with the community,” he said.

About 100 Maxis and MRCS volunteers prepared the food for the buka puasa.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who announced this yesterday, asked the victims staying in temporary houses in Jalan Batu Ferringhi to be patient for a little longer.

“I had hoped that the apartments would be ready before Hari Raya but I have been told that there is a slight delay in the construction work.

“I know this temporary settlement is not ideal but nonetheless, it has all the basic amenities and is quite comfortable for a temporary shelter.

“The new apartments will definitely be more comfortable,” he said in his buka puasa speech at the Batu Ferringhi settlement.

Last month, it was reported that the tsunami victims “were fed up with the delay”.

Some of them had also complained that the houses were smaller than what was promised.

Dr Koh later presented batik, kain pelekat and foodstuff to the 98 families living at the settlement.

T-shirts and duit raya were also presented to the 200 children present.

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.

It is the holiday season but duty beckons. Like their counterparts in the police force, Rela and other uniformed groups, Malaysian Red Crescent Society members were on duty at the Prime Minister’s Hari Raya open house.

A group of 28 members from the society’s Butterworth chapter were at the event to attend to cases such as fainting among the huge crowd. They did not mind working despite the holiday season. “I am very happy to be on duty because I can help people. I don’t mind sacrificing my holiday for such events,” said 14-year-old Saw Rui Xiang.

Rui Xiang joined the MRCS a year ago and eagerly offered her services whenever volunteers were needed. She joined the society because of her ambition to be a doctor. “I can learn how to save lives and how to deal with people’s problems,” she added. Among those whom the MRCS members helped was a seven-year-old girl who fainted at noon because of the sweltering heat.

The girl was sent to the Kepala Batas Hospital for observation after the MRCS members gave her first aid.