Wee poses with his award and certificate.
KUCHING (March 28): Veteran journalist Peter Wee was recently named one of the six winners of the 2023 My Hero 4.0 Award initiated by the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The award-winning newsman from Sibu is known to give his best to reach out to those in need, particularly the underprivileged, without asking for any reward in return to play his part in preserving social harmony.
Throughout his journalism days, he has taken the initiative to work on investigative reporting as a means to help individuals address their hardship.
Wee, who was also named an ‘Ambassador of Unity’ in conjunction with the award, said he will continue to do his good work.
He was nominated for the award for saving the lives of two young girls whom he had come across playing outside the window of a commercial lot.
“I was on my way to work when I saw other drivers slowing down and using their phones to take photos of something. When I looked up, I was shocked to see two kids playing outside the window of a shoplot unit on the third floor.
“When I got to the commercial block, I saw that almost every shop was closed. The people I was able approach seemed reluctant to help out of fear for getting into trouble.
“Left with little choice, I knocked on a neighbour’s door and was informed that the mother of the two girls was napping. After that, I banged the door until the mother responded and told her to grab her girls inside,” he said.
Despite advising the mother to install safety measures on the window, Wee was disappointed to see nothing was done during a follow-up visit to much later.
He then alerted the Social Welfare Department, who dispatched an officer to visit the family to better understand the situation as well as provide counselling to the parents.
Although his act of helping the two girls was the main reason he won award, the selection team dug deeper into more of his good deeds, among them reaching out to a 16-year-old girl who was found sleeping at a five-foot-way after sniffing glue; and saving a young boy from being forced by his father to beg for donations in front of a bank.
Tan poses at his residence.
Another award winner from East Malaysia was Tan Cheng Teng, 66, who hails from Sabah.
The businessman has over the years helped the Lahad Datu Hospital raise fund to improve its medical equipment and facilities.
Lahad Datu is a town without a private hospital or a dialysis centre and this newly-named Hero has been raising funds to enhance the facilities at the Lahad Datu Hospital to better serve the community there.
While being dedicated to making good money, Tan plays his part to give back to the society and all his contributions to the Lahad Datu Hospital had resulted in the medical officers and staff there crowning him the ‘adopted father’ of the hospital.
He said no doubt that a government hospital is the responsibility of the government but when the hospital is located in a rural area, the local community should not shirk their responsibility to have each other’s back.
He added that it would be pathetic if a person lost his or her life due to a lack of medical facilities at the hospital.
Tan said there is no way he could wash his hands off such responsibility especially when he can actually play his part to contribute.
He has been appealing to local organisations and charitable individuals to contribute in every way they could to help improve the facilities at the hospital, be it the purchase of dialysis machine, wheelchairs or water filters as well as other medical equipment.
During the pandemic, he pooled all the resources to help the frontliners at the hospital, the quarantine centre there, as well as needy families by providing them medical and personal protective equipment.
Tan is not only known to be a passionately helpful man but he has also been reaching out to all in need regardless of their social status, race, faith and background.
He will always be there when someone needs his help, and he is one who has played a role to inculcate the good values of racial harmony into the community, the younger generation in particular.
He, among others, brings smiles to those with disabilities, makes sure that needy families have food on their table and help individuals who are in trying times.
His kind heart and good deed have contributed to social harmony, reflecting the uniqueness of Malaysians who uphold the spirit of volunteerism and team work for racial integrity and social peace.