Donations help ease the burden of UMP landscaping workers

PEKAN, 16 July 2021 - The existence of the Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) campus close to the local community in Kuala Pahang benefits the community when 67 people have the opportunity to serve as professional workers for the landscape at this university.

Their job is not only to take care of the trees but also to do the work of sowing and decorating the landscape as well as ensuring a clean and beautiful campus environment.

However, no one thought that the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the country more than a year ago would also affect their family income.

Concerned with their situation, the Centre for Property Management and Development (PPPH) and Yayasan UMP extended assistance by handing over food supplies for them recently.

For Syed Salleh Syed Mohd, 67, who has been working at UMP for the past seven years, he is grateful for the donation.

Since his wife is unemployed and in poor health condition, this donation can certainly help ease the burden of his family.

He was deeply moved by this donation as UMP is always concerned with the workers even though they are only landscaping professional workers.

“I would also like to thank UMP for allowing us to work in UMP, although we are old.

“We can support our family with this income,” he said.

Meanwhile, his friend, Mohamad Fazir Osman, 55, said this donation helped him and his family.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, my family’s income has been severely affected.

“My wife and I used to work, and we could both support the family, but now my wife had been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since the existence of UMP in Kuala Pahang, the surrounding community is happy because the assistance covers job opportunities and many others,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director of PPPH, Dr. Mohammad Idris Ali said, this donation is a social responsibility to help ease their burden during the Movement Control Order (PKP) 3.0, especially for the upcoming Aidiladha.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of Yayasan UMP, Mohd Jamil Mohd Jaafar, said his team organised Program Infaq Prihatin as one of the donation programmes for professional workers whose incomes were affected.

“Yayasan UMP is responsible for distributing donations to those in need through public contribution funds, especially from the Responsibility Centre and UMP staff.

“The donation comes from concerned UMP staff, corporate bodies and individuals.

“We thank all UMP residents, NGOs, and all who have contributed to Yayasan UMP to help those in need,” he said.
This initiative is also a collaboration with the UMP Women’s Association (Matahari).

UMP also established a platform mohbeli.com which provides online donation services to support the initiatives, including efforts to help more individuals affected during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

By: Nor Salwana Mohd Idris, Corporate Communications Unit, The Office of The Vice-Chancellor
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology