Wide range: Volunteers selling food at the charity open day.
KUALA LUMPUR (The Star), July 19, 2008:
By Christina Low and Buntha Thol
SENIOR citizens and the elderly still have the energy and interest to take up courses and take part in various activities.
“The elderly should be respected by all regardless of their backgrounds. This group of people are still actively participating in various activities as well as contributing to the society, " said National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations Malaysia (Nacscom) president Datuk Lum Kin Tuck during the launch of Nacscom’s Voice of the Elderly charity open day recently.
Lum, 91, added that Nacscom depends largely on individual and corporate donors to fund their homes and programmes.
It is a non-profit federation for senior citizens established by Lum in 1990. It now has 18,000 senior citizen members.
The organisation has homes in Sri Semarak and Kota Damansara low cost flats where it occupies more than 15 units in total. These units are then allocated to the poor and neglected elderly who are living alone and have no family members to care for them.
“Each unit has two to three rooms each, which is shared among five senior citizens,” said Nacscom manager for Seri Semarak low-cost flats Tang Yoon Loy.
Tang said one of the requirements for the elderly folks was that they had to be independent and able to care for themselves.
“We do not have facilities for those who are ill and need special attention and as such occupants all know how to care for themselves and remain active,” said Tang, adding that the organisation frequently organises day trips for its members.
During the one-day charity event, several stalls were set up to sell books, food, balloons and provide free health checks to residents of the low-cost flats. Proceeds would be channelled to Nacscom.
Former taxi driver Lim Yoke Bee, 70, who moved into the flats two and a half years ago is enjoying every minute spent with his new friends.
“I get to meet other old people and living here is like living in my own home. I also have more time to myself now and I usually spend it on drawing and painting,” said Lim.
Lim displayed some of his best art pieces at the ground floor area of the flats at the event.
Besides the charity sale, Akademi Fantasia season 5 finalist Ebikornelis also made an appearance to entertain the audience with three popular numbers.
Before the day ended, Nacscom received RM13,329 in the form of cash and products from sponsors for its home in Seri Semarak.
Copyright © 1995-2008 Star Publications (M) Bhd
July 19, 2008
MALAYSIA: Helping the old to live independently
Wide range: Volunteers selling food at the charity open day.
KUALA LUMPUR (The Star), July 19, 2008:
By Christina Low and Buntha Thol
SENIOR citizens and the elderly still have the energy and interest to take up courses and take part in various activities.
“The elderly should be respected by all regardless of their backgrounds. This group of people are still actively participating in various activities as well as contributing to the society, " said National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations Malaysia (Nacscom) president Datuk Lum Kin Tuck during the launch of Nacscom’s Voice of the Elderly charity open day recently.
Lum, 91, added that Nacscom depends largely on individual and corporate donors to fund their homes and programmes.
It is a non-profit federation for senior citizens established by Lum in 1990. It now has 18,000 senior citizen members.
The organisation has homes in Sri Semarak and Kota Damansara low cost flats where it occupies more than 15 units in total. These units are then allocated to the poor and neglected elderly who are living alone and have no family members to care for them.
“Each unit has two to three rooms each, which is shared among five senior citizens,” said Nacscom manager for Seri Semarak low-cost flats Tang Yoon Loy.
Tang said one of the requirements for the elderly folks was that they had to be independent and able to care for themselves.
“We do not have facilities for those who are ill and need special attention and as such occupants all know how to care for themselves and remain active,” said Tang, adding that the organisation frequently organises day trips for its members.
During the one-day charity event, several stalls were set up to sell books, food, balloons and provide free health checks to residents of the low-cost flats. Proceeds would be channelled to Nacscom.
Former taxi driver Lim Yoke Bee, 70, who moved into the flats two and a half years ago is enjoying every minute spent with his new friends.
“I get to meet other old people and living here is like living in my own home. I also have more time to myself now and I usually spend it on drawing and painting,” said Lim.
Lim displayed some of his best art pieces at the ground floor area of the flats at the event.
Besides the charity sale, Akademi Fantasia season 5 finalist Ebikornelis also made an appearance to entertain the audience with three popular numbers.
Before the day ended, Nacscom received RM13,329 in the form of cash and products from sponsors for its home in Seri Semarak.
Copyright © 1995-2008 Star Publications (M) Bhd
