Charity organisations receive large donations at Berjaya Founder's Day

KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Corporation founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan today contributed a massive total of RM20.08 million to 79 charitable organisations through his personal foundations Better Malaysia Foundation and Berjaya Cares Foundation.
He made a pledge to donate a further USD10,000,000 to Tzu Chi Foundation at the Berjaya Founder's Day held at Berjaya Times Square.
This year, the Better Malaysia Foundation Personality Award that came with a prize money of RM500,000 was given to Dharma Master Cheng Yen of the foundation for her notable work in humanitarian and charity efforts.
Tzu Chi Foundation is known for their humanitarian work worldwide, especially in disaster stricken areas.
"She is almost immortal, almost a goddess to me. I have not met Dharma Master Cheng Yen, but I am planning to meet her soon.
"She's a very special person to be able to make Tzu Chi Foundation a special foundation. It is incredible she was able to do this all when she was a poor nun," Tan Sri Vincent Tan said in his speech.
Together with the Founder's Day contributions in the past 4 years, Berjaya and Tan have contributed a total of RM84.08 million to various charitable organisations in support of their respective causes.
Another beneficiary, Strategic Education Methods and Ongoing Advancement (SEMOA), was presented with an RM100,000 mock cheque by Berjaya founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Berjaya CEO Datuk Seri Robin Tan.
It's president, Cheah Kim Hock said the foundation focuses on the students in need of education, especially within the Orang Asli community.
"We work with the less fortunate students and provide the people, especially from the Orang Asli community, with an opportunity of education.
"This year, we had around 64 children who needed education. The center's operational costs are around RM3 million and we are targeting 200 more students so we are really happy with the financial help to upgrade teaching facilities and to buy equipment to improve their learning experience," Cheah said.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian AIDS Foundation secretary also shared his gratitude with the monetary assistance received for underprivileged families living with HIV.
"We are most grateful to the Berjaya Cares Foundation for the assistance and funds provided," said Malaysian AIDS Council and Foundation honorary secretary, Hisham Hussein.
He said the fund will help ensure that children living with HIV will be able to access free treatment at government hospitals.
"We work with government hospitals nationwide because sometimes parents might not be economically stable and of course the beneficiaries are recommended by specialists from government hospitals," Hisham added.
In conjunction with the Founder's Day, BCorp launched the second edition of its Coffee Table Book inspired by Tan's philosophy of giving.
Titled "Growing the Legacy of Care" the book chronicles his successes and contributions to many charitable organisations.