THE Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (National Sikh Youth Organisation - SNSM) donated RM10,000 to the CIMB-The Star Padang Relief Fund in aid of those affected by the devastating Padang earthquake, making them among the first to answer the call for urgent aid.
Its president, Malkith Singh, said members of the organisation pooled their resources together after reading about the plight of the earthquake’s victims.
“We started receiving calls from concerned members shortly after the earthquake hit. Our members wanted to know how they could help. When we read about the relief fund, we immediately sent messages to our members urging them to contribute what they could.
“This was just the amount we raised in two days from about 15 gurdwara (Sikh temple) in the Klang Valley. I’m sure there’ll be more to come,” he said when handing over the cheque at The Star office in Seremban.
Malkith said the contribution was only part of the organisation’s efforts to reach out to the victims.
Cash aid: Malkith handing over a cheque to The Star’s C.S.Nathan (left) at the Seremban office while SNSM treasurer Jai Nanak Singh looks on. “Some of our members are medical students in Bandung and they are prepared to help with the relief efforts in Padang.
“We are just awaiting instructions from the Indonesian authorities.
“We hope more people will also come forward to help the victims in their time of need. Relief efforts should know no boundaries,” he said.
The organisation through its disaster relief wing, Global Sikhs, has previously lent its support to disaster relief efforts in the region including contributing RM20,000 to The Star Myanmar Relief Fund last year.
The CIMB-The Star Padang Relief Fund was set up by the CIMB Group in collaboration with The Star, with CIMB donating RM100,000 to kick-start the effort.
Collection boxes will be placed at the group’s 1,150 branches in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand for the pubilc to chip in.
A collection box was also placed at Menara Star yesterday.
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