Fatimah (second left) serves guests at the event. At left is president of Social Welfare Council of Sarawak, Joan Irene Yong.
KUCHING: A total of 100 guests from 10 welfare bodies were treated to lunch yesterday thanks to Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites’ Sponsor-A-Meal initiative.
Launched last April, the hotel was the first in the country to introduce the suspended meal concept as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Under the programme, guests purchase Sponsor-A-Meal vouchers at a minimum RM10 and this is then topped up to an equal amount by the hotel.
“This event is a true reflection of the important role of corporate bodies and non-governmental organisations to provide assistance to the disadvantaged and needy in our society,” said Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.
She said the state’s vast size and scattered population limits how the government serves such segments of society, thus NGOs and corporate bodies can help fill the gaps by working with the government.
Besides eradicating poverty, the government also focusses on education for all.
“In Sarawak, we have public schools which are ready to teach students with disabilities such as blindness, hearing difficulties, slow learners, mental health problems or physical disabilities,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites manager Mark Ferguson explained that the suspended meal concept originated in Italy where it is called ‘caffe sospeso’.
“Similarly it refers to a cup of coffee that is paid in advance for someone in need. The trend started in cafes of Naples where people who had experienced good luck or people of middle class would pay for an extra cup of coffee.
“Then the poor would come by later and ask if there was any ‘sospeso’ that could be given free to them.
“Such a trend has been adopted by other cafes and restaurants that now incorporate the concept of suspended meals,” he said.
Those who attended the event were from Sarawak Hun Nam Siang T’ng, Lembaga Kebajikan Anak-Anak Yatim Sarawak, Community Based Rehabilitation Centre Kuching, Sarawak Association for the Welfare of Intellectually Disabled Children (Perkata), Sarawak Society for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Pibakat), Green Ribbon Association of Kuching, Mental Health Association of Sarawak, Single Mother’s Association of Sarawak, Sarawak Society for the Blind and the Malaysian Leprosy Relief Association.