Man of Many Talents

INSIDE page page Bad times bring out 2 Cardboard city 3 TELLING IT AS IT IS the best in people needs help ON MONDAY JANUARY 11, 2021 No. 7698 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my STRANDED ... A resident of Kampung Mambang in Pekan, Pahang appears helpless at the window of his stilt house while waiting to be evacuated yesterday. – ASHRAF SHAMSUL AZLAN/THESUN Plan for the long term █ BY NICOLAS ANIL [email protected] oAlso essential to look at the big picture when ETALING JAYA: A combination of measures is essential to formulating solutions for annual floods problem reduce, if not stop, the floods in several states in Malaysia during managed to keep the floods at bay. and government agencies is also Pthe annual monsoon season. “The principle is to control the crucial to reduce the risk of On the one hand, rivers can be problem. Floods have a role to play too. major flooding and to prevent widened and deepened to increase their They carry good soil downstream and pollution,” he added. capacity for a higher volume of water play a role in ensuring balance in the Nor Hisham’s when the monsoon brings incessant ecosystem,” he said. predecessor at the DID, rains, particularly in the east coast states “While floods are inevitable for some Datuk Keizrul Abdullah, of Peninsular Malaysia. people, steps can be taken to ensure that said that while urban At the same time, reforestation, or re- they do not render us useless,” he added. areas like Kuala Lumpur greening of our environment, must be He said that good reserves, such as have a good system to carried out to reduce water flow into the wetlands, cater to the overflow of water, deal with flash floods page rivers, according to two flood mitigation but they must be protected. that are intense and experts theSun spoke to. “We must learn to control the water scattered, the Director-general of the Drainage and before it flows into the reserves. We can approach is 15 Irrigation Department (DID) Datuk Nor do this by managing the water flow at the different in rural Hisham Mohd Ghazali pointed out that source to retain water upstream by areas where to address the annual problem, a long- creating river ponds,” he said. monsoon rains term plan must be put in place. Nor Hisham said that one way to persist over “Rivers can be widened and mitigate the flood problem is to look into l o n g e r Man of deepened. In addition, flood banks or river basins on a macro level. “State periods. levees can be built to prevent the river planning agencies must make use of the from overflowing its banks if there is a natural resources to control the water many deluge,” he said. flow,” he said. Turn to However, Nor Hisham said, the “Plans for more sustainable land use — page 3 exploitation of land for development and water management must be done talents SPEAK CELEB activities and agriculture must be well together. The cooperation between state 2 theSUN ON MONDAY | JANUARY 11, 2021 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Bad times bring out the best in people █ BY HAKEM HASSAN money flowed in through the causes donors opted for were [email protected] oPandemic helps boost collections by online internet. medical aid, education, The Covid-19 pandemic also led empowerment of single mothers as PETALING JAYA: Last year was a fund-raising platforms to the formation of several new fund- well as emergency aid. “The B40 boom for GlobalSadaqah and, by raising organisations, such as the group as well as refugees made up a extension, its beneficiaries. Serum Initiative and The Hope large proportion of the beneficiaries.” In a year when many companies been on the rise in the past few years, activities to gain public support, he Branch, according to Qistina. But, as with all things digital, the were swimming in red ink and but the big push came last year, said. “Most non-governmental risk of scams and fraud is ever hundreds of thousands lost their jobs, thanks largely to the Covid-19 With movements and close organisations (NGO) focus on Covid- present. the online fund-raising platform saw pandemic. contacts restricted, fund raisers had 19 related initiatives and they are To address the threat, Qistina said, its best 12-month period ever. Apart from financial aid, little choice but turn to new diverting their resources to where NGO seeking financial aid in GlobalSadaqah raised more than GlobalSadaqah also saw a significant technology to appeal for financial they are needed most.” Malaysia are put through a two-tier RM1.8 million, the highest annual increase in the number of donors. help. She said donors were most verification process, supported by the collection since its formation in 2018. “We found that there were many It was also another good year for generous whenever there was an Registrar of Societies, to ensure This was a 178% increase over the donors at the door who had no GivingHub. Set up in 2015 as an urgent appeal for medical treatment. transparency and accountability. 2019 collection, which amounted to avenues to give their money away,” NGOhub, the organisation raises “There was also a significant “Individuals and unregistered RM655,317, according to country Ifran said. money through crowd-funding, number of initiatives that helped organisations may also use our manager Ifran Tarmizi. “These are individuals who were online and offline. provide food aid and personal platform and services if they have the The funds were channelled to looking to donate for waqf projects or Since 2018, it has raised close to hygiene essentials for the most supporting documents from the areas most in need, Ifran told theSun. to channel their zakat contributions RM900,000, its head of fund-raising, vulnerable communities.” authorities.” And, like everything from to serve social needs.” Qistina Johari, said. These online fund-raising The database of verified NGO shopping to business meetings, the There also were many The bulk of the collection received platforms equip NGO as well as social enable donors and volunteers to internet has become the go-to place organisations looking to channel in 2020 came in March and April, impact initiatives with the technology make informed choices about the for fund-raisers. funds to deserving recipients. They when the movement control order to connect directly with donors. charities and non-profit projects that Online fund-raising efforts have needed a platform to showcase their was in place. A large sum of that According to Ifran, the main they want to support. Chow says sorry for buying new car Pangkor Airport runway GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief On Thursday, the Penang State in accordance with the proper suggest that schools be used as Minister Chow Kon Yeow apologised Secretary’s office announced that the administrative process. “I take note of alternative quarantine centres. to the people of Penang for buying a chief minister had been given a new the views of all parties on the issue. I However, it will need the approval of extension new official car at a time when the official car, a Mercedes S560e, to also admit it is a lesson for me and the the Penang State Health Department. country is facing a major health and replace the Mercedes S300L bought state government as the purchase has “Maybe hotels can also be used being studied economic crisis. in 2013. offended the people. I bear the full but the cost is quite high,” he said. Chow, who is also the state The purchase drew criticisms responsibility. Earlier at the event, One Hope LUMUT: Various aspects, assemblyman for Padang Kota, said from several quarters, including “We are ready to face another Charity adviser Datuk Seri R. including costs, are being he took full responsibility for the Gerakan, which urged the state movement control order (MCO),” he Arunasalam handed over 4,200 food considered before a final decision purchase of the 2019 model government to refrain from spending said. “I have directed state executive baskets containing basic necessities is made on the extension of Mercedes S560e for RM458,000. extravagantly. councillors and the State Financial worth RM300 each to Chow to be Pangkor Airport’s runway. “I will (henceforth) be more Penang is one of several states that Officer to be ready to provide aid if donated to needy families. Malaysia Airports Holdings careful in making decisions involving has seen an increasing number of the MCO is re-imposed.” Chow said the assistance Bhd (MAHB) chairman Datuk Seri purchases, especially when people Covid-19 infections, forcing On another matter, Chow said the amounting to RM1.26 million was Zambry Abd Kadir said the types are facing difficult times, like now,” he lockdowns in several areas, keeping a Penang government is prepared to given to 40 state assembly of aircraft that will be landing at told reporters after attending a One choke-hold on economic activities. consider using schools as low-risk constituencies in Penang. He the airport, located in Teluk Hope Charity donation event at the Chow conceded that the purchase quarantine centres if the number of thanked the NGO for its effort, adding Dalam, are also being considered. Padang Kota Service Centre of the new car was inappropriate. Covid-19 infections continues to rise. that it has been “very active and The extension is necessary yesterday. Nonetheless, he said it was done “Besides community halls, we will caring”. – Bernama before the airport can resume operations. The airport, which has a 732m-long runway began operations in 1993 and ceased Geopark Kayaking was functioning in February 2014.

Load more