News For Internal Circulation Only A Welfare Programme with a Technological Difference Food Aid Education Workshop A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FOR MYKASIH FOUNDATION ISSUE 9 JULY 2014 Providing essential food items Creating a brighter future PENGERANG INDEPENDENT TERMINALS DOES GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY Petrol aid for the poor BHPetrol & MyKasih collaborate on pilot petrol aid scheme for the underprivileged www.mykasih.com Full story on page 17
MyKasih Foundation would like to acknowledge its donors and partners Donors Editorial Committee Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor Editorial Team : Jeffrey Perera : Shafinaz Suhaimi : Aliza Haryati Khalid, Karina Mohamed Kamal, Nurul Izzah Izuddin Husaini, Tay Thien Luh, Siti Katijah Contents Chairman s message 1 Overview of MyKasih 2 Board of Trustees 4 Printers MyKasih Today 5 Sincere Service Centre Sdn. Bhd. 67-4, Wisma Ann Koai, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan. Tel: +603-2070 4331, +603-2078 3702 Fax: +603-2031 3273 A moment with Ho Kay Tat 6 DIALOG PITSB does good in Pengerang 8 Contribution and Feedback The Editorial Committee welcomes any contribution or articles / feedback from all staff of MyKasih Foundation and its donors and support partners. Please forward the articles / feedback to:mykasih Foundation DIALOG TOWER, No. 15, Jalan PJU 7/5, Mutiara Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Email: info@mykasih.com Tel : +603 7720 1888 Fax : +603 7725 1484 All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from the Editorial Committee. Q1 & Q2 Launches 10-22 Q1 & Q2 Programmes & Activities 23-37 Cycling for a Cause Lifting students burden via BakProtek A Journey of Self Empowerment for 54 Women Luxasia Foundation empowers women with skills DIALOG BERGOTONG-ROYONG with the Orang Asli of Kampung Chemperoh, Janda Baik Flood relief for 20,000 families in Pahang An interview with YBhg Dato Dr Siti Norlasiah Ismail A Giant contribution for MyKasih children An outing to remember... Mubadala Petroleum staff treats children to the underwater world of Aquaria MyKasih youth dreams big... Muhamaad Iqbal Faiz Bin Omar 10th Scholar from MyKasih to receive Yayasan Cemerlang s Tun Rahah Scholarship Fund. Ambank Group BDO BHPetrol British American Tobacco Foundation Catherine Sim Chan Yew Kai Chew Eng Kar Chong Chong Wooi CLSA Chairman s Trust ConocoPhillips Malaysia DIALOG ECONSAVE GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Giant) Genting Mas Giant Hypermarket HERO Hypermarket HSBC Bank Malaysia Ian Hong John & Edwina Thornton JT International Kertih Terminals Lindsay Tan Loy Ah Wei MISC Berhad Mubadala Petroleum Murphy Sarawak Oil New World Mart Ngau Boon Keat & Family Ng Yee Siang Optimal Group Pasaraya Bilal Pasaraya Ong Tai Kim Paul & Patricia Gould Pengerang Independent Terminals Sdn Bhd Perisai Petroleum Teknologi Bhd PETRONAS PETRONAS Mesra Convenience Store Philip Morris Malaysia Philips 66 Services (M) Sdn Bhd Puan Zainab Mohd Salleh Quill Capita Trust Roc Oil SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad Sime Darby SP Setia Foundation Tan Lek Lek Tanjung Langsat Terminals TNT Express Worldwide Tohtonku Sdn Bhd TSM Charity Wong Yat Sun 99 Speedmart Government Ministries and Agencies National Population and Family Development Board, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs Performance Management Delivery Unit, Prime Minister s Department Sarawak State Central Bank of Malaysia Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister s Department Economic Planning Unit, Johor State Implementation & Coordination Unit Prime Minister s Department Lembaga Zakat Selangor (Selangor Zakat Board) Multimedia Development Corporation Ministry of Education Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Education and Training MyKasih Charity Golf 2014 38 We have moved 39 Make a difference 40 Donors & Partners 41 Agensi Kounseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) of Bank Negara Malaysia Kassim Chin Humanity Foundation Klinik Kesihatan Miri Lifeworks Sdn Bhd National Population and Family Development Board Malaysian CARE Market Intelligence Sdn Bhd Monash University Volunteers Programme Mostwell Sdn Bhd People Systems Consultancy Polytechnic Johor Bahru Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Universiti Sains Malaysia Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UniRAZAK) SOLS 24/7 Pasaraya Ong Tai Kim (Klang Valley) TF Value Mart The Store (nationwide) TMC 99 Speedmart Partner Retail Stores Boulevard Hypermarket (Sarawak) CKS Supermarket (Sabah) ECONSAVE (nationwide) Genting Mas (Sabah) Giant Hypermarket (nationwide) HERO Hypermarket (Klang Valley) Metamorf Supermarket (Klang Valley) Milimewa Supermarket Mydin Supermarket (nationwide) New World Mart (Sarawak) Pasaraya Aktif Pasaraya Bilal (Kelantan) NGOs Charis Community Centre House of Hope (Penang) Kassim Chin Humanity Foundation Lembaga Kemajuan Melayu Miri Lions Club International (nationwide) Miri Dayak Association PACOS Foundation Sabah PDK (nationwide) Persatuan Ibu Tunggal Sarawak (Bintulu) Persatuan Ibu Tunggal Terengganu (Dungun, Kerteh, Paka) Pusat Penyayang Kg Sg Kayu Ara Rotary Club International (nationwide) SOLS 24/7 Sabah Women Action-Resource Group (SAWO) Women of Malacca Action Club
CHAIRMAN s Message Dear Friends, Time fl ies and half the year has gone in the blink of an eye! I am proud to share with you the signifi cant milestones MyKasih has achieved this year. We successfully launched two pilot schemes on fuel and bus transportation for the poor, rendering fi nancial relief to low-income households which are coping with the rising cost of living. Both these schemes demonstrate the versatility of the MyKad technology in handling multiple targeted welfare programmes off one singular platform. The pilot fuel aid scheme initiated by BHPetrol allows MyKasih food aid recipients to purchase fuel using their MyKad at participating petrol stations. Similarly, the pilot bus transportation scheme called Program Kembara Ilmu for 100 primary and secondary students in Pasir Gudang allows the students to pay for their bus fare using their MyKasih smartcard on the bus. Implemented in partnership with the Johor State Government, the initiative comes under the State s existing Program Tautan Budi food aid programme with MyKasih. Thanks to philanthropic contributions by caring corporate citizens and individuals, MyKasih has reached out and provided food aid to 190,545 low income households in every state of Malaysia, including 8,000 primary and secondary student benefi ciaries. In continuing its support since 2009, AmBank Group has added another 50 families in Sabah to the current pool of 950 benefi ciaries under the AmBank-MyKasih community programme. Down south in Johor, Pengerang Independent Terminals Sdn Bhd (PITSB) shared their MyKasih community initiatives with the Prime Minister YAB Dato Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak when the premier offi ciated the opening of the independent oil storage terminal at the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex on 26 June. Into its third year of collaboration, Mubadala Petroleum has extended its food aid support for 100 poor families and launched the Love My School bursary programme for 100 students in Miri. The company also kick-started another round of the entrepreneurship and empowerment programme for its recipient families to help them earn additional income. In giving education a boost, Chevron Malaysia launched the Caltex Fuel Your School campaign in Terengganu and Kedah, following the success of last year s campaign which raised more than RM 570,000 and benefi ted more than 90 classroom projects in Penang, Johor and Kedah. Doing our fair share of fund raising, MyKasih will be organising its fourth annual charity golf event this August at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club. Proceeds will help the Foundation maintain its momentum, not only in delivering aid to targeted recipients, but also in providing opportunities for the benefi ciaries to improve their quality of life either through skills-based entrepreneurship training and income-generation initiatives, job training and placement, or academic scholarships and bursaries for their children. We realise that our vision of establishing loving and caring neighbourhoods could not have happened without the awareness and generosity of donor corporations and individuals, dedicated programme partners and civil society organisations, as well as supportive government agencies. I therefore would like to express my sincere gratitude to all for believing in the work that we do. I hope you will continue to support us in implementing programmes that bring meaningful impact to the benefi ciaries we have committed to help. TAN SRI DR NGAU BOON KEAT Chairman and Co-Founder A publication by MyKasih Foundation 01
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MyKasih Personality Feature A moment with... Ho Kay Tat MyKasih Foundation Trustee At a time when the Government is dwelling on the rationalisation of subsidies, MyKasih Foundation Trustee Ho Kay Tat, who is also Group Chief Executive Offi cer of The Edge Media Group, talks about the Foundation s role in channelling cashless welfare aid to targeted lowincome households nationwide and how the solution can be brought beyond the corporate philanthropic arena into the nation s subsidies circuit. What excites you about MyKasih Foundation? MyKasih Foundation has been running welfare-based community programmes for fi ve years now and impacted 190,545 households throughout the country. That is an impressive outreach, given the Foundation s ability to only be able to do this with funds contributed by charitable corporate citizens, government agencies, and compassionate individuals. The technology which runs the MyKasih programmes is the most exciting component of the outfi t. Using the sophisticated smartchip technology of the MyKad, welfare aid is channelled to the poor directly into their MyKad account which allows them to go to any participating retail outlet within their community, choose approved items they require for the household, and pay for it without any physical cash exchanging hands. The MyKasih welfare management system has controls in place which tracks the funds in terms of how it is being used by the rightful benefi ciaries and provides the necessary audit trails for governance. This same MyKad-based cashless payment solution is versatile enough to manage multiple assistance programmes off a single MyKad account. We have showcased the system for food aid and educational bursaries under the MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood food aid and MyKasih Love My School student bursary programme. We are now piloting the system for cashless payments of fuel and public transportation, and very soon cashless payment of utility bills. Essentially, the MyKad account becomes the one main subsidy account to which low-income households can use to access multiple welfare products or services. This is a solution that has already been up and running for fi ve years, tested in both urban and rural areas, and even in Indonesia! What do you envision for MyKasih Foundation? Generally, I feel that MyKasih is moving in the right direction - fi rst by focusing on targeted food aid as an entry point into vulnerable communities to render temporary relief, followed by the implementation of other social assistance programmes such as entrepreneurship and skills-based training programmes to provide benefi ciaries with a chance to lift them out of poverty. Also, investing in education is the most sustainable effort - be it in the form of scholarships, learning materials, or bursaries for children to spend on schooling necessities. This long-term approach focuses on preparing the next generation to pull their families out of poverty. 06 A publication by MyKasih Foundation
In remaining focused on our strength as a solutions provider, the use of the sophisticated MyKad as a payment instrument needs to be capitalised on. For this to happen, the Foundation s role as a partner to the Government needs to grow beyond its current engagement with the Johor and Sarawak State Governments and the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government. It is my vision to see the MyKasih welfare management system imprinted as a cost-effective conduit for the nation s aid to be channelled to rightful recipients and used for its precise intended purposes. What challenges does the Foundation face in achieving its mission of creating loving and caring neighbourhoods? Fact is that the cost of living is escalating at an alarming rate which sees even the middle-income earners feeling the pinch. When the goalpost keeps shifting, it is diffi cult to celebrate success stories of welfare recipients achieving fi nancial independence upon exiting the MyKasih programme. It is a story of small gains versus higher expenses. If the environment in which these communities reside does not support their empowered state after all the intervention programmes have been implemented, poverty will remain a reality for many and we are back to the drawing board. To achieve pro-poor economic growth, poverty needs to become more than a one-off donation and not just a government s programme. Government, civil society, the private sector and fi nanciers need to work together to ensure that solid policies are found and implemented in the interest of community wellbeing. The role you play as a Trustee. As a Trustee, I would like to create more awareness on the Foundation s efforts in terms of executing strategic community intervention programmes in smart partnership with accomplished providers. Media plays an important role in this regard and therefore, through my sphere of infl uence, I hope to promote the Foundation capabilities to become a signifi cant player in the country s management of welfare aid for the betterment of those in real need.... HO KAY TAT was appointed as a Trustee of MyKasih Foundation on 30 September 2009. He was appointed the Group CEO and publisher of The Edge Media Group on 1 January 2013. Prior to that, he was the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Offi cer of The Star Publication (M) Berhad, after holding post as Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Edge and The Edge Financial Daily from 2005 to October 1, 2009. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Social Science (Hons.) majoring in Political Science from Universiti Sains Malaysia. He has been in journalism for 26 years. He spent 6 years with the New Straits Times group. He joined The Edge, a business and investment weekly in Malaysia, as Editor in August, 1996. He also assumed the role of Editor for Asia Inc, a regional business publication from 2003 until May 2005. MyKasih Foundation Trustee, Ho Kay Tat (left) receiving a mock cheque from The Store Group s Operations Director, Kam Teh Chung after a successful nationwide fundraising initiative in 2013. A publication by MyKasih Foundation 07
PITSB does good in Pengerang 500 from low-income households aided through MyKasih Foundation Left to right: MyKasih Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat; Prime Minister, Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak; Johor Menteri Besar, Dato Mohamed Khaled Nordin; Royal Vopak Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Eelco Hoekstra; and PITSB Chief Executive Offi cer, Law Say Huat together with the MyKasih recipients during the offi cial opening of the Pengerang Independent Terminals in Pengerang, Johor on 26 June 2014. PENGERANG INDEPENDENT TERMINALS OFFICIALLY BEGINS OPERATIONS Pengerang Independent Terminals Sdn Bhd (PITSB), a joint venture between Dialog Group Berhad, Royal Vopak and the State Secretary of Johor, SSI, began its corporate social responsibility initiatives in Pengerang, south-eastern Johor, back in 2011 when the company held its groundbreaking ceremony for a major project there. The independent oil storage terminal, which is located within the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex and built on 150 acres of reclaimed sea-bed land, has offi cially begun operations following the successful start-up and commissioning of Phase 1A (432,000 cbm) in April this year. Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat, who is the Chairman of PITSB and also the Chairman and Co-Founder of MyKasih Foundation, explains that PITSB s philanthropic efforts in Pengerang is aligned with its philosophy of doing good where it operates. Since 2013, PITSB has adopted 400 underprivileged families and 100 poor students from two schools (SMK Tanjung Datuk and SJKC Yok Poon) in Pengerang under the MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood food aid programme and the MyKasih Love My School student bursary programme, said Tan Sri Dr Ngau. 08 A publication by MyKasih Foundation
On 26 June 2014, the opening of the state-of-the-art facility was offi ciated by Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak at a celebration event in Pengerang, 40 MyKasih food aid recipient families who are currently supported by PITSB also attended the event. In his speech, Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak said, I would like to applaud Dialog Group for their involvement as donor and supporting partner to MyKasih Foundation, a nonprofi t organisation that provides a long term commitment via food aid, health awareness and fi nancial literacy programmes, children s education, and skills training programmes to less fortunate Malaysians. Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak (far left) looking out towards the reclaimed sea-bed land on which the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex is built on. Accompanying him were Johor Menteri Besar, Dato Mohamed Khaled Nordin (second from right), Dialog Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat (far right) and Royal Vopak Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Eelco Hoekstra (second from left). Today is indeed a historical moment for us as it celebrates the realisation of a vision we had in 2009. Our vision was to develop and build a world-class crude oil and petroleum products storage terminal facilities in Pengerang. Our deepwater terminals can then play a vital role as a catalyst for the development of a Refi ning and Petrochemical manufacturing hub in Pengerang. Both these developments will then transform Pengerang into a world class oil and gas hub for the region, said Tan Sri Dr Ngau, who is also PITSB Chairman. Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak handing out groceries to MyKasih recipients during the offi cial opening of the Pengerang Independent Terminals in Pengerang, About Pengerang Independent Terminals Sdn Bhd PITSB is equipped with six berths including a deep-water jetty with a draft of up to 24 metres to accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers. The facility will provide storage, blending and distribution services for crude oil and petroleum products. PITSB is South East Asia s fi rst independent crude oil storage facility and caters to a new and growing demand for this service, triggered by growing crude oil and petroleum products import fl ows into Asia and Australia. The completion of PITSB is in three phases with the expected completion of the last phase in Q4 2014 (expected commissioning by Q1 2015). When fully completed, the terminal will have a capacity of approximately 1.3 million cbm. The terminal, earmarked as one of Malaysia s key economic transformation projects, is designed to develop and reposition South East Johor into an oil storage and trading hub in the region. A publication by MyKasih Foundation 09
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY OF PENGERANG Between August 2013 and January 2014, an entrepreneurship and income-generation programme was conducted by trainer LifeWorks Sdn Bhd for 31 MyKasih recipients in Pengerang, which taught them the required knowledge and confi dence to take control of their lives and achieve fi nancial independence either by setting up cottage businesses, working in cooperatives, becoming gainfully employed, or simply doing better at their existing workplace. DIALOG sponsored the establishment of three Eco-Smart computer labs in SJKC Yok Poon and helped with some much-needed restoration works at the school s canteen and basketball court last September. The paint used for the canteen s roof was the same heavy duty oil and gas marine paint used on the tank and piping for the Pengerang project, meant for lasting protection. There is certainly no compromise when it comes to quality! Some of the programme participants in Pengerang together with lifecoach, Sharmini Hensen (front row, fourth from right). We realise the importance of creating a condusive learning environment that is safe for the students. We hope the students will enjoy the new look and feel proud of their school. I wish them well in their studies and look forward to them graduating with excellence. There will be plenty of job opportunities arising from the oil and gas development in Pengerang which these graduates can take advantage of, said Tan Sri Dr Ngau. DIALOG further supports the Johor State Government s efforts in its welfare programme for the poor. Program Tautan Budi, a collaboration between Johor State and MyKasih Foundation, started with a pilot project in 2012 comprising of 300 families in 5 locations who received monthly food baskets worth RM 100 using the MyKasih system. Program Tautan Budi has since expanded to include 1,200 families in 10 locations throughout Johor. Working on a matching fund basis with Johor State, DIALOG is currently sponsoring 600 out of the 1,200 Tautan Budi welfare recipients. Since 2010, MyKasih Foundation has reached out to more than 23,000 low-income households in Johor, out of which 2,000 are currently supported by DIALOG. Eco-Smart Multimedia system installed in SJKC Yok Poon s computer lab. 10 A publication by MyKasih Foundation
The entrepreneurship and income-generation programme by Lifeworks Sdn Bhd was conducted for 31 Pengerang recipients at one of SJKC Yok Poon s classrooms. The photos of SJKC Yok Poon s canteen roof taken before (left) and after (right) the repair and repainting works. DIALOG refurbished the school s basketball court. A publication by MyKasih Foundation 11
Q1&Q2 MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood Programme Launch, January - July 2014 LAUNCHES Program Kembara Ilmu benefits poor students in Johor On 5 April 2014, the Johor State Government, through Perbadanan Pengangkutan Awam Iskandar Malaysia (PAIM), launched a pilot bus transportation subsidy scheme for 100 primary and secondary students from low-income households in Pasir Gudang. Called Program Kembara Ilmu, the bus transportation subsidy scheme is an extension of the Johor State Government s on-going welfare initiative with MyKasih Foundation called Program Tautan Budi which uses the MyKasih cashless payment system to disburse food aid to targeted recipients at designated retail outlets. Under Kembara Ilmu, selected benefi ciaries receive a monthly allowance of RM 60 for one year via a contactless transit payment card to pay for their commute to-fro schools via the public bus. For a start, ten buses operated by Syarikat Pengangkutan Maju Berhad have been equipped with the MyKasih cashless system. These buses will serve fi ve social routes (routes that serve poor communities) which the students take to school and back. Upon boarding the busand once the bus driver has keyed in the intended destination, the card reader will display the fare to be paid by the commuter. The commuter simply taps the card reader with the payment card and the fare is automatically deducted from the allocated funds in the card. A receipt generated after a successful payment transaction will show the fund balance on the card. In offi ciating the launch of the pilot Program Kembara Ilmu in Pasir Gudang, Johor Menteri Besar, Y.A.B. Dato Mohamed Khaled Nordin said, The State Government has allocated RM 72,000 for 100 students to participate in this public transport scheme. This effort is taken with the view of helping the community that is affected by the rising cost of living. The launch event also saw the Johor Menteri Besar offi ciate the Free Wi-Fi service made available on all TransIskandar buses with the main aim of encouraging the public to use public transport in Iskandar Malaysia as the main mode of transport. Johor Menteri Besar, Y.A.B. Dato Mohamed Khaled Nordin (standing, six from left) accompanied by PAIM Chief Executive, Mohd Gadaffi e Abd Aziz (standing, fi fth from left) posing with the benefi ciaries of Program Kembara Ilmu. 12 A publication by MyKasih Foundation
In commenting on Program Kembara Ilmu, PAIM Chief Executive, Encik Mohd Gadaffi e Abd Aziz said, This is indeed a signifi cant milestone achieved by the Johor State Government to pioneer a cashless bus transportation subsidy scheme for the poor. We understand that transportation can be a signifi cant cost element to lowincome households, especially those with many schoolgoing children. We hope that both Program Tautan Budi and Program Kembara Ilmu will reduce the daily burden that these families have to bear, and will enable their children to better focus on their studies to achieve academic excellence. Using the MyKasih system, we are able to track and ensure that the funds allocated for this programme are used for its intended purpose, and administered in a secure and effi cient manner. We hope that with encouraging results from both the benefi ciaries and the implementing parties, we are able to reach out to more communities in need of such transportation assistance, added Encik Gadaffi e. Chairman and Co-Founder of MyKasih Foundation, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat commended the Johor State Government for embarking on this pilot project which caters to the needs of the poor. Tan Sri Dr Ngau, who is also Dialog Group Berhad Executive Chairman, said, In support of Program Kembara Ilmu, DIALOG has contributed RM 72,000 to match the State Government s fund for the scheme. This contribution will provide each student with an extra RM 60 per month to purchase approved essential food items at designated retail outlets using their Kembara Ilmu smartcard. Easing the fi nancial burden that low-income families have in sending their children to school will go a long way in ensuring that education remains a priority for these families, as that is the only sustainable way out of poverty, said Tan Sri Dr Ngau. A bus driver testing out the newly equipped system. A student showing her transit payment card. Students browsing through the pamphlet given on the orientation day (left picture) while MyKasih offi cer, Kumareganesh Govindan, teaches a student on how to use her card to pay for her bus fare (right picture). A publication by MyKasih Foundation 13
Q1&Q2 MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood Programme Launch, January - July 2014 LAUNCHES INSPIRED THROUGH LOVE MY ENGLISH Thumbs up! Distinguished guests (right to left) SMJK Chong Hwa Principal, Goh Chee Chiang, MyKasih Foundation Chairman and Co- Founder, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat, Minister in Prime Minister s Department, YB Senator Dato Sri Wahid Omar and Ekovest Berhad Managing Director, Datuk Lim Keng Cheng together with the students of the Love My English Programme. 52 secondary students of SMJK Chong Hwa in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, received a healthy dose of inspiration from two towering personalities on the Saturday morning of 12 July 2014. The students come from low-income households earning less than RM 1,500 per month and are benefi ciaries under the Love My School bursary programme sponsored by MyKasih Foundation. Minister in the Prime Minister s Department YB Senator Dato Sri Wahid Omar and MyKasih Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat took time out from their hectic schedules to impart words of wisdom to the students regarding the importance of English, with the hope of inspiring them to study hard and carve a bright future for themselves. The Form 3 and Form 4 students are participants of the Love My English programme conducted by qualifi ed trainers from BluBricks. Made possible by NRC11, the programme emphasises on the students development through speech, drama, public speaking and group sharing exercises to encourage the students to speak and perform in English. BluBricks conducts each class for two hours, stretching over ten Saturdays from April November 2014. The two personalities shared their childhood experience of poverty, having persevered through various challenges to get to where they are today. They attributed their success to sheer hard work and their determination to master English as the language of the world. Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat spoke to the students about the diffi culties he faced as a child when learning English. I understand how English can be daunting to those who do not speak a word of English. However, you must overcome this fear and strive to continuously improve yourself, said Tan Sri Dr Ngau. In sharing key life learnings with the students, Tan Sri Dr Ngau advised, Study hard and never give up. Always have the desire to learn and remember to be grateful to those who have helped you once you have made it in life. YB Senator Dato Sri Wahid Omar spoke about the advantages of being able to speak English. Being profi cient in English opens opportunities to better quality higher learning, which will land you better jobs when you graduate. In this digital age, you can use technology to help you improve your English and enhance your general knowledge of the world. We should always remember the sacrifi ces of our parents who have worked very hard to put us through good education. Never neglect our parents. Their prayers will go a long way in helping you achieve your success, concluded YB Senator Dato Sri Wahid. 14 A publication by MyKasih Foundation
Also present that morning were SMJK Chong Hwa s Chairman Tan Sri Dato Lim Kang Hoo and Deputy Chairman Datuk Lim Keng Cheng. Respectively, they are Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Ekovest Berhad, the company that had sponsored the Love My English Performing Arts Programme at the school. NRC11, a youth group involved in nation building activities, teamed up with MyKasih Foundation to kick off the Love My English programme in SMJK Chong Hwa in Kuala Lumpur on 26 April 2014. Conducted by BluBricks, Love My English uses performing arts as a medium of teaching English. In explaining purpose of the programme, Zulyana Kamaruddin, a member of NRC11, said With Love My English, we aim to instill passion and interest in the students towards the language whilst making sure they are comfortable when communicating in English. We chose performing arts as a medium of teaching English because we believe that this interactive way of learning will not only improve the students level of command in English, but at the same time enhance their communication skills and elevate their confi dence when conversing. The students will also learn to be more expressive and will possess a range of vocabulary beyond the classroom. We believe that the skills the students develop through this programme will open up doors for them in the future, especially in terms of higher education, employment, as well as personal and social development. Katrina Lau, the Founder of BluBricks who holds a professional certifi cate in Effective Communication from Trinity Guildhall London, said, The performing arts is an excellent tool for allowing students to express themselves, develop their critical thinking skills, enhance selfconfi dence and improve the life skill of improvisation in all languages, especially English. When working on a piece of theatre, students are exposed to various situations, cultures and experiences, which enable them to grow not only as performers but also as individuals. School Principal Goh Chee Chiang thanked MyKasih Foundation, Ekovest Berhad, NRC11 and BluBricks for bringing the programme to the students of SMJK Chong Hwa. I hope this programme will help the students overcome the language barrier and encourage them to make that fi rst attempt to discover confi dence, self-esteem, and of course, the love of the language. I look forward to this pilot project attaining success so that it can be rolled out to other schools and benefi t more students who are currently under the Love My School programme, said Principal Goh. Left to right: Chairman & Co Founder of MyKasih Foundation, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat, Chairman of NRC 11, Wan Mohd Firdaus, Minister in PM s Offi ce, Dato Sri Wahid Omar, Managing Director of Ekovest Berhad, Datuk Lim Keng Cheng, (sponsor of Love My English pilot programme) and Principal of SMJK Chong Hwa, Goh Chee Chiang. BluBricks facilitator, Davina Goh, conducting her class. Students being mentored by NRC 11 volunteers to come up with words to create a short story for their presentation to the class. Goh Chee Chiang presenting Tan Sri Dr Ngau with a token of appreciation witnessed by Dato Seri Wahid Omar. A publication by MyKasih Foundation 15
Q1&Q2 MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood Programme Launch, January - July 2014 LAUNCHES expands MyKasih Community Programme in Miri Group photo with the Love My School student benefi ciaries from SK Tudan and SK Bakam in Miri. Mubadala Petroleum has expanded its local community initiatives in Malaysia by supporting the education of 100 students from low-income families in two elementary schools in Miri - SK Tudan and SK Bakam, under the MyKasih Love My School programme. The 100 primary school students, aged between 8 and 12 years, receive monthly bursaries of RM60 per student for one year. The funds are channelled via their MyKadlinked student smartcard which allows them to make daily cashless purchases of approved items such as books and stationery items at the school bookstore and food sold at the school canteen. This is the fi rst MyKasih student bursary programme launched in Miri. Mubadala Petroleum is also funding tuition classes for these 100 students. and to play our part in contributing to local development close to our operations in Block SK320 offshore Sarawak, added Ding. Also present during the launch, MyKasih Foundation Managing Director Jeffrey Perera thanked Mubadala Petroleum for their continued support. We are extremely grateful to Mubadala Petroleum to be given this opportunity to reach out to the Miri community and render assistance in the form of food aid and educational bursaries. This partnership stands testament to Mubadala Petroleum s trust in MyKasih s transparent and effi cient welfare distribution system and we hope that this partnership will continue to fl ourish for the betterment of those in need, said Jeffrey. 16 From 2011 to 2013, Mubadala Petroleum has supported 100 underprivileged families under the MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood food aid programme in Miri, Sarawak. All recipients were given the opportunity to participate in training programmes, such as fi nancial education, as well as personal and skills development. In 2014, Mubadala Petroleum has extended its support by adopting a new batch of 100 families under the same programme. For Mubadala Petroleum, extending our support through these bursaries is a natural progression of our involvement with the community in Miri, said Ding Chung Nyea, Country Manager Malaysia, Mubadala Petroleum. All too often, poverty hinders students from staying and succeeding in school. Mubadala Petroleum aims to make a difference with our contribution to these students lives A publication by MyKasih Foundation Presentation of goodie bags & certifi cates by Mubadala Petroleum Communications & Public Affairs Manager, Angela Soeteber.
Q1&Q2 MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood Programme Launch, January - July 2014 LAUNCHES collaborate on pilot petrol aid scheme for the underprivileged From left: MyKasih Foundation Managing Director, Jeffrey Perera; BHPetrol Managing Director, KT Tan; MyKasih Foundation Trustee, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali and Women, Family and Community Development Special Offi cer, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain look on as an aid recipient fuels up after purchasing fuel using her MyKad. On 2 June 2014, MyKasih and BHPetrol jointly introduced a scheme for targeted aid recipients to purchase fuel using their MyKad. The programme was launched by Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, Special Offi cer to the Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Hajjah Azizah Mohd Dun. BHPetrol and MyKasih Foundation are collaborating on this pilot project as part of the former s corporate responsibility initiative aimed at easing the fi nancial burden of underprivileged families. BHPetrol is co-sponsoring 40 families in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara, who are benefi ciaries of the MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood programme. The fuel aid pilot project is an extension of the existing MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood programme. In addition to the monthly food aid allocation of RM 80 which can be used to buy essential food items at participating retail outlets, the recipients are also given RM 20 per month worth of fuel under this one year pilot project. These families, who use motorcycles as their primary mode of transport, will be able to make cashless fuel purchases using MyKad at the BHPetrol Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara station. The cashless payment system is proven to be effective in eliminating leakages of funds. As aid is channelled directly to targeted recipients via the MyKad, it is able to track all contributions and how it is being used, he added. On behalf of the Foundation, I thank BHPetrol for spearheading this fuel aid initiative. In support of the Government s efforts to reduce poverty, we hope to work with supportive donor partners - from individuals to corporate donors, as well as government agencies and state governments, to jointly implement more programmes that will help improve the quality of life of the underprivileged, he concluded. BHPetrol Managing Director KT Tan said, We at BHPetrol feel very honoured to work with MyKasih as part of our corporate social responsibility programme. This is one way we can help low-income households cope with the escalating cost of living. Speaking at the launch, MyKasih Foundation Trustee Datuk Badlisham Ghazali highlighted the advantages of the welfare management system that was developed by epetrol, a subsidiary of Dialog Group Berhad. The versatility of MyKad technology enables MyKasih Foundation to implement welfare schemes that suit different segments of society with fi tting products or services, said Datuk Badlisham. A recipient making her fi rst cashless fuel purchase using her MyKasih smartcard at the BHPetrol Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara station. A publication by MyKasih Foundation 17
Q1&Q2 MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood Programme Launch, January - July 2014 LAUNCHES JAKOA gives programme the thumbs up YBhg Dato Haji Mohd Sani bin Mistam, Director-General of the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) giving the MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood food aid programme the thumbs-up after witnessing the cashless purchases of food items made using the MyKasih smartcard. Accompanying him during his visit to Pulau Ketam were MyKasih Foundation Trustee Dato Yaacob Amin (right, in white) and JT International Berhad Corporate Affairs & Communications Director Azrani Rustam (third from left, in black). The food aid programme for the Mah Meri Orang Asli of Pulau Ketam, Klang, is being sponsored by JT International Berhad. The MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood food aid programme for the Mah Meri Orang Asli of Pulau Ketam in Klang, Selangor, was given a thumbs-up by the Director- General of the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli, JAKOA),YBhg Dato Haji Mohd Sani bin Mistam. Dato Haji Mohd Sani was at Pulau Ketam on 5 June 2014, together with the JAKOA Selangor and Federal Territories team to launch the Kelas KEDAP (literacy classes for adult Orang Asli). During that visit, he had the opportunity to observe the cashless purchase of food items using the MyKasih smartcard which was demonstrated by an Orang Asli recipient at a partner retail outlet. MyKasih Foundation Trustee, Dato Yaacob Amin and JT International Berhad Corporate Affairs & Communications Director, Azrani Rustam accompanied Dato Haji Mohd Sani that day to distribute the MyKasih smartcards to the Orang Asli recipient families. JAKOA Selangor and Federal Territories Director, Encik Bakar bin Unus, has been instrumental in identifying eligible Mah Meri Orang Asli families in Pulau Ketam to be registered as recipients under the MyKasih food aid programme. 18 A publication by MyKasih Foundation
JT International Berhad is currently providing food aid support to 1,000 underprivileged families for a second consecutive year under the MyKasih Love My Neighbourhood programme, spanning the seven states of Sabah, Sarawak, Kedah, Johor, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor. A Mah Meri recipient keys in his personalised 6-digit PIN when demonstrating the use of the MyKasih smartcard to purchase approved food items at the retail outlet in Pulau Ketam. Orang Asli kids leaving their home to attend the day s event. JAKOA Director-General YBhg Dato Haji Mohd Sani bin Mistam handing out the MyKasih smartcard to the Mah Meri food aid recipients of Pulau Ketam, as JT International Berhad s Azrani Rustam (left, in black) and MyKasih Foundation s Dato Yaacob Amin (second from left, in white) look on. A publication by MyKasih Foundation 19