programme. From left: Touch ‘n Go Group Chief Executive Officer, Effendy Shahul Hamid, Adrian
Ong, CEO of MR D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad, Universiti Malaya’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr.
Mohd Hamdi Abd Syukor, Universiti Malaya Student’s Representative, Wan Afiq Ikhwan Wan Alias.
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 – As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”, a recent collaboration brought much cheer and relief to thousands of students who were preparing to go back to university post-COVID 19 pandemic.
In a statement here recently MR D.I.Y group said through the #DIY4UM aid initiative, over 12,000 undergraduates from Universiti Malaya (UM) had a smooth and comfortable transition back to on-campus learning.
The joint effort, between MR D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad (MR D.I.Y.), Touch ‘n Go Group (Touch ‘n Go), and UM, saw Malaysia’s largest home improvement retailer distribute over RM3.6 million to assist the undergraduates prepare for the return to campus.
Under #DIY4UM, each UM undergraduate received RM300 in cash aid to be used for the purchase of daily essentials and learning equipment. The funds were distributed through the Touch ‘n Go’ e-wallet in three equal payments over November and December 2021.
At a ceremony to mark the conclusion of the #DIY4UM aid programme here recently, Chief Executive Officer of MR D.I.Y., Adrian Ong said, “Our founder, Mr. Tan Yu Yeh, is an alumnus of this university, and over the years, he has helped us initiate a number of programmes to benefit the university, its students and the community it serves. His wish, and our vision, has been for these efforts to spur other organisations to help Malaysians forge through these challenging times.”
Some of the hardest hit by the pandemic have been university students and as they began to return to campus post-pandemic, many needed help to ensure that they were adequately equipped with everyday essentials, learning materials and personal protective items.
“To make the back-to-campus transition as smooth and worry-free as possible, we decided to launch the #DIY4UM initiative,” Ong said, adding that it would not have been possible without the support of Touch ‘n Go, who helped manage the distribution of the aid via the Touch ‘n ‘Go e-wallet platform.”
Commenting on the aid programme, Touch ‘n Go Group Chief Executive Officer Effendy Shahul Hamid said, “We’ve had multiple strategic collaboration initiatives with MR D.I.Y. and it’s gratifying to see it expand into non-commercial areas.”
He also hoped the efforts will motivate UM undergraduates to strive further in their studies.
Edited by Soraya Abdullah
–WE