KUCHING: Over 100 children from Perkata School at Jalan Ong Tiang Swee were feted to the ‘Love-In-A Box’ programme organised by Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC Sarawak) and its subsidiaries.
SEDC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Husain officiated at the programme, which was also attended by the agency’s senior management, staff members and employees of its subsidiaries along with the children’s parents.
Abdul Aziz thanked Persatuan Bagi Kebajikan Kanak Kanak Terencat Akal Sarawak (Perkata Sarawak) for collaborating with SEDC Sarawak and its subsidiaries in organising the event.
He said the annual event was part of the agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and this time it targeted school children who suffered from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy, Development Delay, Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability.
“The main beneficiaries of our annual Love-In-A-Box programme are those children who are in need of our support and attention in view of the shortcomings they are facing in life.
“It is also dedicated to the parents of these special children and we hope the handing over of goodies and ‘ang pow’ (red packets) would bring cheer to them,” he added.
Abdul Aziz said SEDC Sarawak and its subsidiaries had been organising the Love-In-A Box programme since 2000.
It was however only made an annual event since 2004.
“This year will be the 16th edition of the programme and we are humbled with the over 1,600 less privileged people, especially our young folk who have been included in the merry making.
“It is also heartening for us to see that over the years, the response towards our Love-In-A Box programme has been encouraging and this has actually motivated us to undertake such community-related events every year,” he said.
“Our CSR programmes are ongoing and together with our subsidiaries, we have been organising a lot of activities with the less privileged members of the society who are included in annual events such as Majlis Belaian Kasih, Breaking of Fast with orphans, Majlis Ramah Tamah with primary school students around Kuching, Gotong Royong (work party) and many others.”
SEDC general manager Abdul Hadi Datuk Abdul Kadir, deputy managers Edwin Abit and Rakayah Hamdan as well as heads of departments and chief executive officers of the various subsidiaries while Perkata Sarawak was represented by its secretary-general Noor Afyza Abdullah.
