Cultures, sports, competitions, concerts, crafts, and not to forget the delectable food and drinks that can put a bright smile on even the most dyspeptic crank. The Sin Chew Carnival 2.0 (优医2.0星洲情义嘉年华) for UTAR Hospital will bring not only these delights to the Perak community, but also the spirit of community philanthropy that built and continues to guide UTAR and UTAR Hospital’s mission.
This year’s carnival will be held on 13 and 14 September 2025 at Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, UTAR Kampar Campus.
Sin Chew Daily, MagnumCares, UTAR, and UTAR Hospital have joined hands once again to raise a target fund of RM200,000 at the upcoming carnival, bringing together people from all walks of life in support of a meaningful cause to improve healthcare access and facilities for the community.
From left: Mr Alan Teh, Dato’ Ding, Mr Tan, Prof Choong, Ms Chan, and Mr Eddie Lee at the press conference
To promote the carnival, a press conference was organised on 27 May 2025 at UTAR Kampar Campus.
In his remarks, UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong said, “Although UTAR Hospital is still in its early years, it has made remarkable strides in developing its medical services, facilities, and professional teams. The Hospital will continue to progress steadily towards its goal of becoming a leading, innovative, and outstanding medical institution.”
“To ensure the sustainable development of the hospital and the continuous improvement of medical service quality, we need support from all sectors of society. Generous contributions from philanthropists will be directed towards two key areas: The fund for medical equipment and fund for patient welfare. The former is utilised to acquire advanced medical equipment, enhancing the quality of diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, the latter is utilised to provide financial assistance to underprivileged patients, ensuring timely and high-quality care for all, regardless of their economic situation. Therefore, every form of support becomes a powerful force in saving lives,” Prof Choong stated.
He added, “The Sin Chew Carnival for UTAR Hospital was first held in 2023 at UTAR Kampar Campus, and it received great feedback from the community. The event successfully raised more than RM640,000 in development funds for UTAR Hospital, surpassing the initial target of RM500,000. We are both inspired and deeply grateful for the generous support shown by the community.”
Prof Choong shared that the upcoming carnival will feature a diverse array of activities, including a food carnival, charity sales, a children colouring competition, a singing competition, a badminton competition, a charity run, and a charity concert. He remarked that more activities could be added to the lineup if members of the university community or external parties are interested to showcase their creativity.
Prof Choong shedding light on the confirmed activities at the upcoming carnival
Sin Chew Media Corporation Bhd Communications and Promotion General Manager Mr Tan Kim Chuan said, “The key difference between the carnival and the charity concert lies in the sense of cohesion it fosters. The carnival brings together the community and students, creating a shared experience that supports institutions. Not to mention, the Sin Chew Carnival for UTAR Hospital spans two days, whereas our carnivals across Malaysia typically last only half a day. This allows the carnival to draw larger crowds from across Kampar and neighbouring towns.”
He added, “As a cultural institution, Sin Chew Daily has long been holding cultural and educational initiatives. We are proud to extend our efforts into the medical field through collaborations with UTAR, aimed at benefiting the people of our nation.”
“UTAR Hospital is dedicated to providing affordable healthcare, as it operates on a non-profit basis. Access to reasonably priced medical services is truly invaluable. The hospital offers an integration of Chinese medicine, Western medicine, traditional Malay medicine, and Ayurveda. When these diverse medical practices come together, they form a powerful force capable of serving communities in need across Malaysia. For that, I hope everyone can support and contribute to the development of UTAR Hospital,” Mr Tan encouraged the community to support the local hospital.
Mr Tan highlighting the significant strength of communities in kickstarting the development of UTAR Hospital
UTAR Hospital CEO and Medical Director Dato’ Dr Ding Lay Ming said, “The Hospital is not just a hospital in Kampar; our doctors also go out to the community to serve the population by giving health talks, so that there is more awareness and prevention. As of today, the T&CM Centre has received more than 110,000 visits, while the western medicine service has attended more than 41,000 visits. We need more people to know about us. It is not free healthcare, but it is affordable healthcare. It is an alternative for people who are willing to pay a bit to get quality healthcare. For those who cannot afford it, we have a welfare support system, which offers discounts based on assessments of deserving patients.”
Dato’ Ding shared that UTAR Hospital is setting up PET (positron emission tomography) scanning, becoming one of two hospitals in Perak to have the advanced medical facility to treat cancer patients. A cath lab (catheterisation laboratory) in UTAR Hospital will also begin its service for cardiac patients in the coming months. Besides that, she also highlighted that the hospital is welcoming more specialists in diverse areas, including cardiology, tomography, ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat, also known as otolaryngology), and O&G (obstetrics and gynaecology).
“As we are a not-for-profit hospital, we are deeply grateful to everyone who contributes to the development of UTAR Hospital. The contributions you have made will be used by the hospital to expand medical services for the community,” Dato’ Ding expressed her gratitude for the support shown by the community.
Dato’ Ding sharing the plans for the hospital’s upcoming medical services, aiming to expand support for the community
Also present at the press conference were Magnum – ENE Perak Sdn Bhd Vice President-Regional Head of Perak Ms Chan Chit Min, Magnum – ENE Perak Sdn Bhd Assistant Vice President and Sales, Retails and Operation Mr Eddie Lee Yu Woo, Perak Sin Chew Media Corporation Bhd Business Development Director Mr Alan Teh Pek Ling, UTAR Department of Soft Skills Competency (DSSC) Kampar Campus Head Ms Hee Chwen Yee, delegates from Sin Chew Daily and Magnum, UTAR and UTAR Hospital staff.
For further enquiries or to arrange a stall placement, please contact Ms Hee from the Department of Soft Skills Competency (Kampar Campus) at heecy@utar.edu.my or 05-468 8888.
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