UTAR Council Chairman Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik led a delegation comprising council members and senior management from UTAR to visit two schools in Perak, namely SJK (C) Jeram and SJK (C) Bemban, Batu Gajah on 25 and 27 October 2016 respectively.
Driven by the desire to serve the community, the visit was a collaborative effort between UTAR and the Malaysian Association of Practicing Opticians (MAPO) to help schoolchildren, especially the poor and those in need of spectacles, to get free spectacles.
Tun Ling was accompanied by his spouse Toh Puan Ena Ling, UTAR Council Member Hew Fen Yee, Head of the Department of Soft Skills Competency (Kampar Campus) Hee Chwen Yee, Head of the Division of Corporate Communication and Public Relations (Kampar Campus) Chock Yujin, and other UTAR staff.
The delegates from UTAR were cordially received by SJK(C) Jeram Principal Fong Sook Fun, MAPO Committee Member Khoo Chee Kheong, England Optical Group Founder Dato’ Dr Chin See Keat Sin, and teachers and students from SJK (C) Jeram on 25 October; while on 27 October they were met by SJK (C) Bemban, Batu Gajah Principal Lee Wai Men, MAPO President Tai Lee Pin, MAPO committee members, and teachers and students from SJK (C) Bemban.
Titled “The Gift of Eyesight”, the project was mooted by Tun Ling with the objective to serve and improve the quality of life of schoolchildren in Perak and Selangor in need of spectacles.
On both days, Tun Ling spoke on the importance of having good eyesight and said, “I hope this programme can be expanded to other states throughout the country as schoolchildren with eyesight issues deserve help so their studies are not affected.” He added, “I also would like to thank MAPO and England Optical Group Founder Dato’ Chin for their noble act of collaborating with UTAR to serve the community.”
Tai in his speech at SJK (C) Bemban said, “MAPO has allocated about 1,000 spectacles to be given to 22 schools throughout the country.” He added, “Tun Ling wants to increase the coverage next year, hence we are going to go big by screening 3,000 students and giving another 1,000 spectacles to school students. For this year’s project, to date we have screened around 200 school students.”
As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programme, the England Optical Group also joined the benevolent act and sponsored more than 300 spectacle frames to the needy children.
Apart from SJK (C) Jeram and SJK (C) Bemban, Batu Gajah, schoolchildren from two other schools in Perak, namely SJK (C) Thong Hon, Chendriang and SJK (C) Kampung Timah, Tanjung Tualang, also had their eyes checked.
This project is part of the various community engagement projects by UTAR and it reflects UTAR as a university "by the people, for the people".
Some schoolchildren having their eyes checked
(Second row, fourth from left) Fong, Tun Ling, Dato’ Chin, Khoo and Hew with the staff and students of SJK (C) Jeram after the opening ceremony
(Seated, third from left) Lee, Tai, Tun Ling, Toh Puan Ena and Hew with the staff and students of SJK (C) Bemban after the opening ceremony
Wholly owned by UTAR Education Foundation Co. No. 578227-M LEGAL STATEMENT TERM OF USAGE PRIVACY NOTICE