Malaysian groups start fund-raising drive for quake victims

A boy is embraced by his father after receiving first aid on his hand as they use Park Boyer as their new home in the Petionville neighborhood of Port-au-Prince on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Sun-Sentinel, Michael Laughlin) MANDATORY CREDIT: SUN-SENTINEL, MICHAEL LAUGHLIN; MAGS OUT

PETALING JAYA: Various Malay-sian groups have started collecting funds to help earthquake victims in Haiti.

The Malaysia Red Crescent Society is appealing for donations for the MRCS International Relief Fund, in response to the emergency appeal launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for US$10mil (RM34mil) to assist some 100,000 disaster victims.

Cash or cheques can be sent to the MRCS headquarters at 32, Jalan Nipah, Off Jalan Ampang.

“Cheques should be made out to the ‘MRCS International Relief Fund’; with ‘Haiti Earthquake’ written at the back or banked in to MRCS Maybank account number 5144 2210 2657,” the statement said.

The Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia said it will hold a fund-raising drive today and tomorrow to collect money for relief work.

Those wishing to make donations can also contact 03-7880-9048 or visit www.tzuchi.my.

The Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM), a humanitarian aid development agency with its head office in Birmingham, has also launched an appeal for contributions for the earthquake victims.

For more information, go to www.irm.org.my or call 03-8948-6334.