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SPEECH TEXT
DATO’ LIOW TIONG LAI
DEPUTY MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS OF MALAYSIA
“REACHOUT – YOUTH FOR CHARITY”
IN AID OF THE NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF MALAYSIA
CHEQUE HANDING CEREMONY
ON APRIL 7, 2006, AT
NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF MALAYSIA HQ
70, Jalan 14/29, 46100 Petaling Jaya.
Mr Goh Seng Chuan, The Chief Executive Officer of the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia
Mr Michael Moorthy, The Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia President
Mr Robinson Pan, The Organizing Chairman of the Reach Out – Youth for Charity
Honourable Guests and ladies & gentlemen.
First and foremost, I wish to congratulate you for your great effort in helping the needy in our society. I must salute you for your effort in raising RM270,000.00 among yourselves through personal coin boxes collection, collection from three (3) shopping malls in the Klang Valley and one (1) in Malacca and one Golf Tournament.
All these effort was done in the midst of the after effect of the Tsunami in December 2004 and the negative publicity generated from the press in 2005 on some enterprising private company using welfare organization as a front-line to profit from the public via charity donation. I am happy to note that in this case The Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia, being a non profit and also a uniform organization for the youth had taken upon themselves an initiative to mobilize all their 6500 members throughout the country to raise funds to help needy kidney patients under the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia.
I am very encouraged to note that despite the lack of respond from most corporate sectors as most of their funding had to be channelled to a more urgent needed Tsunami victim at that time, your never say die attitude has helped you to find other means to achieve your objective.
The Present Youth The youths in our present day are living in a more competitive and dangerous world. The ever-changing trends have caused them, at times to be confused with their directions in life. In the early days, the notorious deeds of youths were sticking chewing gums underneath the seat at a cinema or going down to the stream for a swim without parental approval. However, today, the tables have turned, drug addiction, premarital pregnancy, loafing or ‘lepak’, rapes just to name a few, have become a norm in the lives of our youngsters. In our country today, it is not too late to help prevent these obstacles, if all of us could lend a helping hand.
In this respect, I am happy that The Boys’ Brigade has in one way or another helped the aspiration of the government to nurture a future generation of young Malaysians who are skilled and of good moral standing. I am proud that you have not only help to shield the young minds from all these negative elements that are so rampant now, but you have gone a step further by laying a seed of compassion for the needy in the society among the young people. You have proven to the society that although you may be young, you are as capable as others to contribute to the good of the society.
Support for the Future
Ladies and gentlemen, for all of us present today, we ought to pledge our support to our youths in this nation. I want to assure you that I will try my best within the disposal of my ministry to support your effort to build youths that are strong, vibrant and loyal to this country. To the press, it is my hope and desire that you will frequently feature the good work of our youths however small or big their effort is. You will be surprised that often through praise and positive publicity and promotion that you will see our youths raise to the occasion to move mountains and to do something that is positively unthinkable.
Conclusion
To the leaders of The Boys’ Brigade, carry on the tremendous work you are doing for our young people. Your contribution is helping our government to develop a healthier and more energetic pool of young people who will one day be grateful to us for guiding them towards the right path. Go on encouraging our young ones to start fostering closer relationship with the community, working towards a united and caring Malaysian society.
For the members in the Brigade seize every opportunity to learn from your leaders, give them your respect and appreciate their guidance by obeying their advice. May The Boys’ Brigade continue to build on its service to our children and the youths of Malaysia and beyond. |
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