Guek Kee (fourth left) presents the cheque in an envelope to SCCS treasurer Gary Ho. From right are Kun Gee, Wee, Dr Sim, Lee and Chai.
KUCHING: The Tan Guek Kee and Lee Siew Ling Charity Foundation doled out a total of RM938,000 to 21 charitable and educational organisations here yesterday.
SJK Chung Hua Bako topped the list with RM500,000 followed by Associations of The Boards of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions Sarawak with RM160,000 and SM Min Lit Batu Kawa Board of Management (RM100,000).
The Committee of Management of Kuching Chung Hua Primary Schools No.1-6 received RM60,000, CHK Moral Uplifting Society Kidney Foundation (RM40,000), Kuching Austistic ASsociation, Sarawak Heart Foundation and Kuching Hope Place were given RM10,000 each.
Recipients with RM5,000 in hands were Sarawak Hun Nam Siang T’ng, Breakthrough Network Centre Bhd, Federation of Kuching Division Community Association Sarawak, Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS), Kuching Life Care Society and Federation of Chinese Associations Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions Women Section.
Those receiving RM3,000 each were The Salvation Army, Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia, Mental Health Association and Kuching Palliative Association.
Beneficiaries of RM2,000 each were Che Hia Khor Moral Uplifting Society Sarawak, Che Hui Khor Moral Uplifting Society for Kuching and Saramahan Divisions Sarawak and Federation of Chinese Associations Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions.
They received the donations from Tan Guek Kee during a ceremony held at Aeroville Mall here, witnessed by Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Among those present were Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, Tan’s wife Lee Siew Ling, the foundation director Tan Kun Gee and secretary Jonathan Chai.
In an address, Chai said the foundation had disbursed more than RM5.6 million to various charitable and educational bodies since its establishment in 2013.
He noted that RM5.6 million ‘is not a minor amount’ given that not all affluent individuals would commit themselves to charity efforts like Guek Kee does.
“Apart from giving donations, Tan Guek Kee cares so much for education that he would inspect school project sites.
“I still recall a past site visit to Chung Hua Primary School No4 (at Jalan Nanas) where he paid so much attention to project details that he missed a step and fell into the drain. As a result, he had several stitches,” said Chai.
Dr Sim called on more affluent Sarawakians to emulate Guek Kee in reaching out to those in need and the development of education.
The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president observed that some individuals made donations out of making a name for themselves while Guek Kee is not one of those.
“Tan Guek Kee does charity but keeps a low profile. He is indeed a caring philanthropist. When it comes to charity, the amount doesn’t matter but a caring heart matters.”
Dr Sim thus advised Sarawakians to do charity as he asserted that even their caring attitude would matter more than monetary contributions.
He believed that Sarawak will become a more progressive state if its people stayed united.