Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is one of the founding partners of the ASEAN Trade Bloc. It was created to boost economic coherence and fluidity within the region. Following the challenges posed by the aftermath of COVID-19, the trade bloc has witnessed a consistent resurgence in Gross domestic product (GDP) growth. With a population exceeding 34 million, Malaysia has emerged as a developing economic powerhouse in the region, emphasizing its strengths in agriculture, industrial processes and the service sector.

As a Commonwealth country, Malaysia boasts one of the most diverse population demographics. This article will delve into a small charity initiative, the Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society, within the Penang community on Malaysia’s west coast. Penang, a vibrant island, has long been recognized as a focal point for generations of Chinese migrant families who now consider Malaysia their home.

Malaysia’s Public Health Care System

Malaysia’s public health care system ranks third internationally in reliability, funded by citizens through tax, providing affordable services. However, long waiting lists have become the norm due to understaffing issues. The issue is still prominent despite government efforts to raise funding as of 2023 with $7.9 billion compared to $7.1 billion as of 2022. As a result, families with urgent medical issues often have to opt for private health care despite difficulties affording it. This is where organizations such as the “Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society” come in to help families.

Through religion, the Moral Uplifting Society helps instill a sense of calmness amid uncertainty and change for struggling families. These families are dealing with various issues, such as not being sure if they will receive their paycheck next month. They are coping with the stress and guilt of being unable to provide their children with necessities so that they can have a normal childhood.

The Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society

The Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society was founded in China in 1954 and later expanded to Malaysia and Singapore, becoming a significant force in charitable activities. Countless volunteers aged 30 to 90 are the driving force behind the society’s charitable work. Many of them have dedicated their lives to donating their money and time to travel across different parts of Southeast Asia and help those in need.

Interview With Madame Ooi

Madame Ooi has spent more than a decade with the group and acknowledges how hard it is to sympathize with what people go through. “The fact is that none of us will know what they go through unless we had the same upbringing as them,” she stated.

Working alongside the group, she has been able to help different families through various struggles. Her efforts span organizing impactful food drives and raising money through charity balls and auctions.

The charity of the society impacts the local community by financing essential needs like school equipment, rent and emergency operations. It provides free meals and medical services for those in need. Additionally, it donates to the retired elderly to support their necessities.

The Boy Who Never Walked

One of Ooi’s most memorable moments working for the society was when she got to know one of the families applying for free medical help. A young couple who grew up in Penang had brought their 3-year-old boy to her office to fill out paperwork. The boy, who was born with a congenital disability, was carried by his dad. The doctors said that the umbilical cord had caused complications with the growth of his leg. The boy had never walked or run; with school coming up, they wanted him to be able to play with the other children. The boy was eager to run around, much like he had seen others in his neighborhood do. His parents had requested help to afford a free prosthetic leg for him, which would have cost them around $1200.

The organization paid for the boy’s prosthetic legs. Ooi recalls how she and the other staff members crowded around him eagerly outside the same corridor where he first arrived on his father’s shoulder. The doctor helped him put it on, and with the help of his parents, he got up. She remembers seeing the massive smile across his face as his parents guided his first steps and how the staff around her shared happy tears with her as they saw the boy and his family in joy over an incredibly intimate moment.

Conclusion

Although policies, schemes and government investments are helpful against poverty, they often fail to address each family’s unique challenges. Poverty is often looked at as the lack of money, which carries an element of truth. But money isn’t the entire recipe for the cure for poverty.

It is often up to these organizations, such as the Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society, to ensure that their basic needs are met, not just financially but also supporting their emotional distress amid the challenges.

The charity section of the Uplifting Society continues to impact the local community of Penang, Malaysia. It supports more than 300 amputees annually by covering their medical expenses. This support enables children like the boy Ooi met to take their first steps into their future. The organization also helps guide those in need out of poverty by offering support and assistance through their work.

– Matthew Fung
Photo: Wikimedia Commons