THE first private low-risk quarantine and treatment centre (PKRCS) in Penang, which started operations at Mei Hotel in Lorong Abu Siti, George Town, on Oct 1, has ceased operations today.
Known as PKRCS MEI, it received a total of 152 patients with mild symptoms (Category 1 & Category 2) as directed by the Covid-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) or district health offices during its nearly one and a half months operations.
Of the 152 patients, 132 were quarantined at the hotel and 20 were referred to the Penang Hospital or other medical centres for extended treatment.
PKRCS MEI offered zero cost to the B40 community in terms of accommodation, food and medicine.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who was present at the closing ceremony of the PKRCS MEI Hotel, expressed his gratitude to CREST Malaysia and Mei Hotel for their collaborative effort in operating PKRCS MEI to help those in need at a time when the spread of the virus was prevalent in Penang.
CREST Malaysia is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation that helps the poor and needy, refugees and victims of disaster by providing food, clothing, shelter, medicine, basic healthcare, and trauma counselling.
“You have done a great service to the state and the people.
“I am glad that PKRCS MEI has fulfilled its role as a low-risk Covid-19 quarantine centre in Penang with the help and support of volunteers and donors.
“The next task that lies ahead will be the rebuilding of our lives and livelihood and to reignite our economy.
“This can be done as long as we do not give up on ourselves and I believe Penangites do not give up easily!” Chow said in his speech at the closing ceremony.
Although things have brightened up for Penang as well as for the country with marked declining cases, Chow said everyone must continue to stay vigilant in the fight against Covid-19.
Recalling the challenging times, Chow said things got so bad that the health system was thoroughly choked to meet the pressing needs of the daily Covid-19 positive cases while the frontliners soldiered on despite being overwhelmed.
“It was a difficult period which truly tested the limits of our endurance. In a way, this difficult period also taught us that only by combining our efforts to find solutions to a life and death situation, we can find strength that we never thought we had to pull through.
“Today’s closing ceremony for PKRCS MEI Hotel is testimony that we had indeed pulled through.
“All of this has shown the effectiveness of the vaccination exercise. It is now a huge relief for everyone.
“But the battle is not over yet and we are still not out of the woods. So, we must remain vigilant,” Chow added.
Also present were Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi, CREST Malaysia executive director Cheong Chee Keen, Mei Hotel owner Datuk Cheng Mei Man and her son Gerald Lee, Mei Hotel general manager John Kim and Mei Hotel advertising/PR executive Harry Chew.
Cheong recalled one unforgettable incident during the operations when a woman with four kids from Bukit Mertajam sought help after one of her sons contracted Covid-19.
“They were chased out of their rented house when the owner came to know about her son’s Covid-19 positive case and they became homeless. She drove her son to our centre but did not know how to get back without her son with her. We had to teach her how to use the GPS.
“And we got friends over in Bukit Mertajam to help provide them temporary shelter,” Cheong said.
He added that the successful operations of PKRC MEI was made possible by a dedicated team of 93 volunteers, both medical and non-medical along with donors and sponsors. He also thanked PPB Group, which was founded in 1968 as Perlis Plantations Group by Robert Kuok, for contributing meals that accounted for 40% of the budget.
Cheng, a Taiwanese businesswoman, said during the pandemic most hotels were closed and she said Mei Hotel was willing to step in to help the state government when the healthcare system in the state was facing a shortage of beds for Covid-19 patients.
“We can’t operate and we are willing and ready to take part in the charity work. I would like to thank our neighbours, who were initially afraid of us offering our hotel as a low-risk quarantine and treatment centre.
“I want to thank them for their support after our explanation,” Cheng said.
Kim said Mei Hotel would spend two weeks to sanitise its premises before opening for business on Dec 1.
He said all the voluntary efforts to help the patients, despite dripping with sweat in the PPEs, were worth it.
“None of the the 93 volunteers contracted Covid-19.
“Most satisfying of all was when we received a drawing from a primary pupil to thank us after he was discharged on the 10th day.
“There was also another case when a patient bought us some small doughnuts. We were all touched by his gesture. He comes from a poor background and yet used his money to show his appreciation to us,” Kim said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis