Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Giving back to society - The Star

Jun 17, 2008

A SEBERANG Prai municipal councillor used his maiden councillor's allowance of RM600 to buy ceiling fans for a school and groceries for five poor families in his hometown in Nibong Tebal.

Teoh Seang Hooi, 48, a tuition teacher, said he merely wanted to give back to society.

Since his appointment as councillor in May, Teoh said his 10-year-old son Marcus of SK Methodist Nibong Tebal, had been constantly reminding him to help his school.

Teoh (left) handing over the ceiling fans to Idris at the school.

“I have seen the children sweating profusely under the hot zinc roof while waiting for their parents to fetch them after school.

“So, I decided to install two ceiling fans at the cost of RM400 at the school porch,” he said yesterday.

Teoh said he would use the remaining RM200 to buy groceries for the families of five needy rubber tappers in Byram Estate.

Coming from a relatively poor background, Teoh said his parents, who were hawkers, had to work hard to raise nine children.

“My family and I experienced hardship and poverty in the past. So, when we are blessed now, we believe we should bless others, in whatever way that we can,” he said.

The school’s parent-teacher association (PTA) chairman Idris Hasan thanked Teoh for the kind gesture, noting that the 110-year-old school had an enrolment of about 600 pupils.

“We hope our old boys will also come forward and render their services.

“Apart from additional computers and a fresh coat of paint for the school building, we also need about RM50,000 to raise the school field, which often floods during a downpour,” he said.

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