THE Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged successfully raised RM1.02 million from a fundraising event today, surpassing its initial target of RM1 million.
Yang di-Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang, Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, his consort Toh Puan Khadijah Mohd Noor, and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow visited the home in Sungai Dua. They also attended a luncheon held in appreciation of the donors and supporters of the home.
Also present were Datuk Seri Chong Eng, trustee of Penang & Province Wellesley Silver Jubilee Fund (the home’s landowner) and chairman of the General Committee of Silver Jubilee Home; Lim Siew Khim, the state executive councillor for Social Development, Welfare, and non-Islamic Religious Affairs; and Datuk Ooi Hooi Kiang, organising chair and honorary treasurer of Silver Jubilee Home.
During a tour of the home, Tun Ahmad Fuzi interacted with several residents, shaking hands and engaging in conversations with them.
The fundraising event initially garnered RM984,710. However, at the luncheon, Greatech Technology Berhad, which had previously donated RM180,000, contributed an additional RM12,290 in response to Chow’s appeal to hit the RM1 million target. Greatech was represented by its chief financial officer Koay Lin Lin and HR & Administration Department manager Jenise Loo Khai Tien.
Tun Ahmad Fuzi also contributed RM10,000 from the Yayasan Amal Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di-Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang, and David Cheah, the great-grandson of the late Cheah Leong Keah, who donated the land in 1935, added another RM10,000 to bring the total amount raised to RM1,020,000.
Chow, who is also the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Penang & Province Wellesley Silver Jubilee Fund, expressed his appreciation to all the benefactors, past and present, for their continuous support of the home.
He highlighted the importance of developing a more caring society for Penang and praised Chong Eng and Ooi for their efforts to organise the fundraising project amid challenging economic conditions. He also extended his appreciation to the entire committee, including the home staff, the general committee and volunteers.
“At the beginning of this year, the home assembled a new team of General Committee comprising 11 members under the leadership of Dato’ Seri Chong Eng. This allows the home to inject new ideas into its operations, thereby better serving the community.
“Some initiatives have been taken to improve the overall operations and financial sustainability of the home while maintaining the quality of care provided to the residents.
“The home is actively engaging with the community to attract their support in donations, both in kind and in cash, which are critical to ensuring its financial sustainability and its ability to continue its mission of helping the poor and unfortunate,” Chow said in his speech.
Chow also noted that Penang has the second-largest elderly population in Malaysia, with about 7.7% of its residents aged 65 and above.
He cited projections by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSH) that by 2040, Penang will have the largest proportion of people aged 60 and above in the country, at 26.2%. This demographic shift will have a significant impact on the state’s socioeconomic development.
In response to the growing elderly population, Chow explained that the state government has taken proactive measures to ensure that Penang is elderly-friendly.
The state has partnered with the Malaysian Healthy Aging Society (MHAS) to introduce an Age-Friendly City Project, which follows World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. The project involves city councils and the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) to implement, monitor and report on a state-wide plan.
Chong Eng expressed her heartfelt thanks to Tun Ahmad Fuzi and Toh Poh Khadijah and all attendees for their support.
She also thanked all sponsors, volunteers, organising committee members and staff members for their tireless efforts, noting that nearly RM1 million was raised in just five weeks.
Ooi added that the home currently cares for about 130 elderly residents, many of whom are poor and in need. Approximately, half of them are bedridden and require assistance for their day-to-day activities.
The home has 56 rooms for independent living and two assisted living quarters, with the independent living housing those who are mobile and able to care for themselves, while the assisted living quarters cater to those who are bedridden.
“The home requires RM4 million annually of donation, both in cash and in kind, to support its operations. This fund-raising effort is crucial as donations have dwindled since the Covid-19 pandemic,” Ooi said.
In addition to Greatech, other major donors included Ooi herself (RM108,000), Hunza Properties Berhad (RM100,000), an anonymous donor (RM100,000), NationGate Holdings Berhad (RM50,000), Wellpoints Corporate Sdn Bhd (RM50,000) and Solarvest, which is contributing 25 years of maintenance services and extended warranty for the solar roof system, valued at RM85,695.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi