SERDANG (Sin Chew Daily) — The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) donates RM300,000 to the "Kita1Keluarga" (We are one family) relief program launched by Tzu Chi Malaysia to help families trapped in financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown.

At the launch of the program, Huazong president Goh Tian Chuan gave his thumbs-up to the relief program and hoped for more contributions from donors to help the needy.

Goh said many families have been financially affected by the lockdown to contain COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people unemployed increased too. 

He called for more welfare organizations to help the needy as Huazong is extending full support to Kita1Keluarga program which offers cash aid to poor families.

Top Glove Corporations founder Lim Wee Chai, an honorary advisor of Huazong, shared his reasons of joining Tzu Chi Malaysia as a volunteer.

He said he agreed with the values advocated by Tzu-Chi to perform good deeds and uphold good business ethics. 

He also said entrepreneurs should reward the society and help the needy to ride out the pandemic.

The "Kita1Keluarga" program will be assisting about 3,000 poor families in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya for a 3-month period starting from September.

Each family is entitled to cash aid ranging between RM500 and RM800 per month for three months.

The program assists Malaysians, foreign workers, refugees and stateless people.

Tzu Chi Malaysia received a total of 4,381 applications. Of the total, 1,599 (37%) were from Chinese, 1,595 (36%) Indians, 1,019 (23%) Malays and 168 (4%) others.

For more details please visit Tzu Chi Malaysia's Kita1Keluarga site.