(Front row from night left): Yu, Pottas, Lee, Beena, Wong (sixth right) in a photo call with participants of Health and Safety Week and members of VAD 57 Curtin Malaysia.

MIRI: Volunteerism is a very important part of social development which can move society towards a common goal.
Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin singled out blood donation campaigns in Miri as an example of effective volunteerism.

“In the 70s patients who needed blood transfusion had to buy blood. Voluntary blood donors were scarce as it was taboo especially for the Chinese.

“There was a case of a sick Chinese father who asked his children to buy blood for transfusion when his children could have donated,” said Lee yesterday when officiating at the Health and Safety Week Exhibition organised by the Malaysia Red Crescent (MRC) Voluntary Aid Detachment 57 (VAD 57) of Curtin University, Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia),” he said.

Among those present were Curtin Malaysia Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (DPVC) Professor Beena Giridharan, Curtin Malaysia’s chief operating officer Pieter Willem Pottas, the university’s dean of students Dr Adeline Wong and organising chairman Yu Jet Ben.

Lee who is also MRC Miri District deputy chairman added that efforts by VAD 57 unit of MRC comprising mostly expatriates then met with resistance including threats by blood selling syndicate members who scratched and punctured tyres of their cars.

Finally, in 1979 after 10 years of relentless effort, Miri Hospital had 100 per cent voluntary blood donors.

“The record of 100 per cent voluntary blood donor still stands and contributors include Curtin Malaysia VAD 57 unit,” he added.

Lee also commended Curtin Malaysia VAD 57 for their achievements over the years, including winning the annual ‘Best VAD Unit Award’ in Sarawak consecutively since 2008.

He hoped that Curtin Malaysia will continue to nurture the spirit of volunteerism among its staff and students, stressing that volunteerism should be made a culture particularly in this technological age.

“Technology is very important for overall development but addiction to the gadgets is detrimental to health and social development,” Lee said.

Lee who is also chair of the Curtin Malaysia Management Board was happy that the university continues to prioritise safety and health.

Earlier in his welcoming speech, Yu said various community service activities and emergency-related events are being held throughout the week.

Among them were Health and Safety Week exhibition, water safety course, talk on Mental Health, organ and blood donation campaigns, fire drill, boat handling course for both staff and students of the university.