Sikh Welfare Society Malaysia: Monthly aid for 41 families, other activities

By Charanbir Singh | ORGANISATION UPDATE |

Sikh Welfare Society Malaysia (SWSM), founded in 1980, has been active in providing financial aid to the poor and needy as well as other activities.

Here are some of the key activities carried out by the Kuala Lumpur-based non-government organisation in the last two years.

MONTHLY FINANCIAL AID: Assisting 41 families throughout Malaysia with monthly financial aid ranging from RM200 to RM500. The total disbursement at this juncture is RM12,150 per month. In 2016 and 2017, the society has disbursed RM212,030 in this segment.

BURN VICTIM, BABY RAVNEET: In February 2018, we received news about nine month old Ranveet Kaur that was badly scalded in a hot water accident at her home in Kuala Lumpur. She was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) on Feb 2.

Sikh Welfare Society Malaysia (SWSM) had joined forces with Santana Riderz Mc and media portal Asia Samachar to raise funds for the surgery. Within a short period of time, they had managed to raise close to RM127,000. SWSM officials were also involved in the monitoring of the baby in the weeks after being admitted to the hospital.

REPATRIATION OF INDIAN NATIONAL: SWSM assisted in making arrangements with the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to send Manjit Singh who had burst his brain nerve and was in comatose state. He had undergone surgery and was sent back to India in February 2018.

PRISON VISITS: SWSM volunteers organise and participate in visits to Kajang and Sungai Buloh prisons. They conduct counselling, religious and motivation sessions and then serve Guru Ka Langgar. They currently assist the prisons department to prepare a standard Sikh module on spiritual guidance, counselling and moral upliftment of Sikh inmates serving time in prisons throughout Malaysia. SWSM is on the lookout for more vounteers keen to join the visits. In total, 10 visits were made to Kajang prison and two to Sungai Buloh in 2017.

FOREIGN PRISONERS: SWSM coordinates with Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on the documentation of Indian citizens serving time in the prisons.

DECEASED FOREIGNERS: Coordinating with the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on deceased Sikhs requiring rites to be performed and repatriated to India. There wre three cases in 2017.

YELLOW RIBBON: SWSM is working with the Ministry of Youth on the yellow ribbon project.

WOMEN’S SEMINAR: SMSW had organised a half-day ‘Women’s Legal Rights in Malaysia’ seminar in Kuala Lumpur on 16 Sept 2017. It featured two speakers: lawyer Ravinder Singh (who had served as chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Bar) and Jagjit Singh, a former judge and Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) commissioner. The seminar was sponsored by the Malaysian Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and supported by the Malaysian Sikh Union (MSU). Asia Samachar was the event media partner. See here.

SCHOOL GOERS: SWSM provided school children with uniforms, shoes and textbooks.

DISASTER VICTIMS: Provided financial aid and furniture to fire victims in Serdang and also flood victims in Penang.

[Charanbir Singh, the current SWSM secretary, can be contacted at charanbir_niketan@yahoo.com or +6016-2789964]

Baby Ravneet discharged, mum plans to return to India for further treatment (Asia Samachar, 13 April 2016)

Sikh Welfare appoints Malaysian deputy minister as patron (Asia Samachar, 26 Aug 2016)