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SINGAPORE: Some organisations in Singapore are stepping up efforts to help earthquake victims in Indonesia, with several of them initiating fundraising programmes.
A four-member team of Singapore's humanitarian organisation Mercy Relief has arrived in Padang and is expected to stay there for a week to help the quake victims.
"We can see a lot of buildings which have collapsed, and we are outside the M Jamil General Hospital where the Singaporean survivor John Lee was warded. We are now in the midst of procuring food supplies and also milk – UHT milk for children," said Hassan Ahmad, CEO, Mercy Relief.
"There is also rationing for fuel for each vehicle, so it is very difficult for us to move around to get in the food supplies, clean drinking water and clean water supply for sanitation," he added.
Mercy Relief's efforts are being supported by religious groups as well.
The Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin Foundation, with support from Singapore's mosques, has started collecting funds for the quake victims during Friday prayers. The foundation has already raised some S$50,000 for quake victims in West Java and people hit by Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Soka Association will rally some 3,500 of its members for a fundraising drive on Sunday. Members can make their donations at three of its centres located in Tampines, Telok Blangah and Bukit Panjang.
All proceeds from the mosques and Soka will be forwarded to Mercy Relief, in support of its humanitarian mission in Padang.
Malaysian bank CIMB, which has offices in Singapore, has rolled out the "CIMB-The Star Padang Relief Fund" and is rallying customers and the public in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to support the fund.
The bank has already contributed close to S$50,000 (RM100,000) to the fund.
All contributions to the "CIMB-The Star Padang Relief Fund" should be made before Sunday, 18 October 2009. Those who wish to donate can contact the bank at +65-6333-7777.
- CNA/sc
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