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THE appeal for help for victims of the Sichuan quake is going on the air. A televised show to help children who have been orphaned will be broadcast live on Channel 8 on Sunday.
The fund-raiser will feature Mandarin pop singers such as Gary Cao Ge and JJ Lin Junjie - both of whom are waiving their fees - and MediaCorp artistes, among other entertainers.
Moved by news reports of quake victims, a trio of friends got together and conjured up the show in a mere 48 hours - a record for a TV fund-raiser.
Mr Toh Soon Huat, deputy chairman of Novena Holdings and one of the three behind the fund-raiser, said in Mandarin: 'I am so touched by news of people risking their lives to save others trapped by the quake. I felt I have to do something to help.'
He roped in two friends in the entertainment industry - Mr John Ho, group chief executive of Scorpio East Holdings, and Mr Leslie Ong, director of Unusual Productions - to think of ways to help.
And the show was born.
The show would be simple but straight from the heart, said MediaCorp Studios senior vice-president of Chinese entertainment productions Doreen Neo.
The money raised will be given to the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, and it will then distribute it to groups which are helping Sichuan's orphans, said Member of Parliament Yeo Guat Kwang, who is advising the project.
The initial plan was to also raise funds for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, added Mr Yeo, but the group decided against it when it could not find a Myanmar agency that it was comfortable working with.
The show will be aired from 7pm to 10pm on Sunday.
Donation hotlines are open from today until June 1.
Call 1900-1125-121 to donate $6; 1900-1125-122 to donate $18 and 1900-1125-123 to give $50.
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