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SINGAPORE : A few groups in Singapore have come together to put up a special three-hour charity concert to raise funds for children who have been orphaned by the Sichuan earthquake.
The concert will be held this Sunday, and will be beamed "live" from the MediaCorp studios on Channel 8 at 7pm. A repeat telecast will be shown on June 1.
The earthquake in Sichuan has left many children with an uncertain future.
And hoping to help them rebuild their lives, organisers of the charity concert aim to raise money to build orphanages or schools.
Yeo Guat Kwang, Advisor to Sichuan Earthquake Charity Show and MP for Aljunied GRC, said: "It's quite sad to see that they have lost their parents, and support from the family. It's important for us to help them to continue, to stand up and move on."
The organisers of the show are Unusual Productions, Scorpio East Holdings and Novena Holdings, while the producer is MediaCorp.
The idea for the concert came about on Monday and since then the organisers have wasted no time. They have less than a week to put together a show that would normally take several months.
Well-known singers from the region have been invited for the show - which will include Gary Cao from Malaysia and Singapore's J J Lin, as well as MediaCorp artistes and presenters.
After giving viewers a first-hand account of the destruction in the region, Channel NewsAsia's China Correspondent Wong Yee Fong will give a "live" report from Sichuan, talking about the people she encountered; while Chinese students and workers in Singapore will also be invited to share their thoughts.
Meanwhile, the rescue team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force will return from their mission in China this week and share their experiences.
Organisers have not set any donation targets, but previous fundraising concerts have raised at least S$3 million, and they hope that this time it will be no different.
The Chinese Embassy will work with the relevant agencies on the ground, so that the money can be directed to where it is needed most.
Members of the public can call 1900-1125121 for a S$6 donation; 1900-1125122 for an S$18 donation, and 1900-1125123 for a S$50 donation.
They do not have to wait till Sunday to donate. They can start calling in from midnight on Wednesday, and donation lines will remain open till June.
Meanwhile, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Wednesday signed the condolence book for the Sichuan earthquake victims at the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.
Mr Wong, who is co-chair of the Singapore-China Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, offered his deepest condolence to the victims and families of the earthquake disaster. - CNA/ms
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