Yii (front row, centre) with members and staff from Agape Counseling Centre Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu branch).
KOTA KINABALU: Entrepreneur and philanthropist Dato’ Yii Ching Siew, is prepared to donate the profits from his businesses to Chinese education, churches and welfare activities.
Yii said he was just a small businessman compared to the whole business community in Sabah. However, when it comes to education and churches, he is fully supportive.
Yii said this during a Chinese New Year dinner that he hosted for Agape Counseling Centre Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu branch), his company’s staff and friends here on Sunday.
He thanked the Agape Counseling Centre Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu branch) for appointing him as an advisor.
Yii said he admired the members at the Agape Counseling Centre Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu branch), as they worked hard in contributing to the society in Sabah, especially in providing counselling and assistance for family troubles, couple’s issues and students’ academic problems.
Yii was touched when he learnt that the staff at Agape Counseling Centre Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu branch) were earning less than RM2,000 a month while still having to support their own families and pay for their own transportation.
“I’m very touched (by Agape staff), and I decided to assist them.”
Yii said the Agape centre had to raise RM150,000 annually and he extended his support without any hesitation, as well as agreeing to be an advisor to the centre.
He pointed out that a businessman with conscience should lend a helping hand to the less fortunate and charity organizations in the society.
Yii himself donated RM2 million to Chinese schools and churches in Sabah on his 70th birthday celebration last year.
“I did not intend to show off. I just hoped that by doing so, others would follow suit (in helping those in need),” he said.
Yii is also comforted by the fact that his family members fully support his charitable acts, especially his wife Datin Idah Yii.
“My wife told me that I have absolute right on how to use the money I earned through hard work,” he disclosed.