By Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: A total of 100 senior citizens and persons with disabilities (OKU) from various ethnic backgrounds were celebrated in a Chinese New Year programme organised by the Lions Club of Perak Silver State.
Region 5 chairman of the Lions Club of Perak Silver State, Dr Richard Ng, said the initiative aimed to foster a spirit of unity among all races, even though the event was held in conjunction with the Chinese New Year.
“While today’s celebration is for the Chinese New Year, we have also involved other communities and not only the Chinese. For me, the spirit of this celebration must reach all layers of society,” said Dr Richard, who is also president of Ipoh City Watch.
He added that the objective of the programme was simple: in addition to providing charitable contributions, it aimed to convey a wider message of unity.
“We want to show the world that Malaysia has a multi-ethnic society capable of living together harmoniously. Fighting and disputes benefit no one.
“The positive response from the community to programmes like this shows that the efforts of the Lions Club are always appreciated.
“Today, we are celebrating and providing aid to 100 recipients. With additional funding or support from other clubs, we hope to reach even more people in need,” he said.
The distribution of mandarin oranges and angpau was also carried out by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), YB M. Kulasegaran, alongside Elwin Wang, Treasurer of Lions Clubs International District 308 B2 Malaysia.
Dr Richard added that Kinta Heights was chosen for its special historical significance as the original birthplace of Ipoh, formerly known as Paloh.
“Residents have been living here since the 1960s, and most are now senior citizens. They used to run businesses here, but their children have migrated to work in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.
“Although some of the older generation have passed away, the spirit of care for the local community continues.
“We want to ensure that all segments of society receive assistance from NGOs. Government support would, of course, further ease these charitable efforts,” he emphasised.
