Malaysian Red Crescent Society

The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) (Malay: Bulan Sabit Merah Malaysia (BSMM)), is a voluntary humanitarian organization that seeks to promote humanitarian values, as well as provide service and public education in disaster management, as well as healthcare in the community. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.[2]

Malaysian Red Crescent
Founded1948
TypeNon-profit organisation
FocusHumanitarian Aid
Location
Key people
Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz, National Chairman [1]
Websitewww.redcrescent.org.my

Organised in 16 branches and more than 150 chapters nationwide, the Malaysian Red Crescent is headquartered in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Red Crescent also has a very active presence among youths and young adults through a well-organized network of youth and adult volunteer units in schools and institutions of higher learning.

History

The Malaysian Red Crescent has its beginnings in 1948 as branches of the British Red Cross Society in the former British North Borneo (now the Malaysian state of Sabah) and Sarawak. In 1950, the British Red Cross Society established the first branch in Penang in the Federation of Malaya from which it rapidly expanded its presence in the other states.

Upon the independence of the Federation of Malaya on 31 August 1957, the branches in Malaya were reorganised as the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the society was officially incorporated by statute with the passing of the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1962 by Parliament. On 4 July 1963, the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society received official recognition as an independent national society by the International Committee of the Red Cross and subsequently admitted as a member of the League of Red Cross Societies on 24 August 1963.

With the formation of the larger federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1965 to incorporate the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the branches of the Red Cross Society in Sabah and Sarawak under the name of the Malaysian Red Cross Society was passed by Parliament and gazetted on 1 July 1965. On 5 September 1975, the Malaysian Red Cross Society was renamed the Malaysian Red Crescent Society by the passing of the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Change of Name) Act 1975 by Parliament.[3]

Work

Within Malaysia

The Malaysian Red Crescent runs a 24-hour ambulance service throughout the nation which consists of over 50 ambulance units in 16 branches.[4]

The MRC also initiated a programme called "A First Aider in Every Home". The objective of the programme is to have at least 1 person trained in first aid in every Malaysian family.[5][6]

On December 25, 1996, the Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo was hit by Tropical Storm Greg. In response, the MRC manned 3 relief centres for the victims and distributed food to those affected.[7]

After the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami caused damage to the coastal areas of Perlis, Penang and Kedah, the MRC appealed for donations and volunteers responded to the disaster. Temporary shelters were set up for the victims who lost their homes. Food and water was also distributed among the victims.[8]

In 2015, the state of Sabah was hit by an earthquake. The MRC launched a relief effort and volunteers responded to the disaster.

During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, the MRCS launched the #responsMALAYSIA (Malaysia's response) programme. The programme aims to providing a platform for individuals and corporate entities to contribute towards the procurement of essential items required by frontliners, as well as drive MRCS’s community engagement efforts. [9]

Abroad

In response to the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, the Malaysian Red Crescent collected donations amounting to over RM3 million. The donations were sent to the Japanese Red Cross Society.[10]

The Malaysian Red Crescent Society appealed for donations and launched a relief effort in response to the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. 6 volunteers also joined the Special Malaysian Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) that responded to the disaster.[11]

They also launched a relief effort in 2018 to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Sulawesi, Indonesia.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Puteri Intan Safinaz dilantik Pengerusi BSMM (in Malay)". 28 July 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  2. https://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/where-we-work/asia-pacific/malaysian-red-crescent-society/, IFRC
  3. http://www.hati.my/malaysian-red-crescent-society-persatuan-bulan-sabit-merah-malaysia-red-cross/
  4. https://www.redcrescent.org.my/ambulance-services/
  5. "A first aider in every home". 24 January 1999. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20050222230145/http://www.redcrescent.org.my/campaigns/firstaider.html
  7. "Malaysia:Floods - Information Bulletin n° 1". 27 December 1996. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. http://redcrescentpenang.org.my/v2/2004/12
  9. "Red Crescent leads way in Covid-19 battle". New Straits Times. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  10. "Using F1 power to raise funds for Japan". The Star Online. 10 April 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  11. "MRCS launches fund for quake victims in Nepal". New Straits Times. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  12. "Malaysia Red Crescent launches fundraising appeal to help disaster-struck Indonesia". New Straits Times. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
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