THE Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Penang, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) Christian Fellowship (CF) and Lebuh Chulia Village Community Management Council (MPKK) have come forward to lend the needy a helping hand amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow appreciated the joint efforts and contributions from the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), a tertiary education institution and Lebuh Chulia MPKK in realising the ‘Blessing Bag’ programme.
He said the programme was meant to assist the needy people during this challenging period.
He said the food and cash donation drive from July 14 had attracted many generous donors.
“We are giving out the first batch of 100 packets of essential food items to address the immediate and pressing needs of affected households.
“We understand that many people are impacted during the course of the pandemic which began last year.
“Some had lost their jobs, some fell ill but survived, and there were also the unfortunate ones who succumbed to the virus.
“No matter how tough life is during this pandemic, none of us should suffer from the indignity of going hungry at night or to watch helplessly while our children starve.
“While it is true that we have yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel and our medical frontliners are exhausted, rest assured that the state government will continue to ensure that it is adequately equipped to keep on fighting.
“Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation towards the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Penang, RUMC and the Lebuh Chulia MPKK for the success of this programme, which will be ongoing until September,” he said after launching the programme at the Youth Municipal Community Hall in Acheh Street today.
Each of the blessing bag has rice, cooking oil, noodles, sardines, biscuits, sugar, wheat flour and vermicelli.
Also present were Rotary Club of Penang president Eric Ong Eng Hin, Rotary Club of Penang past president Datuk Seri Tan Gin Soon, organising committee chairman Amreet Singh Gill Gurdev, RUMC chief executive officer Prof Dr David Whitford, Lebuh Chulia MPKK chairman Lily Oh, and Lau Keng Ee, who is Chow’s special affairs officer in Padang Kota.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi