More organisations donating cash and medical supplies

More organisations have come forward to help people affected by the coronavirus outbreak by donating cash and medical supplies, as well as showing support for front-line healthcare workers.

The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) and Singapore Press Holdings' (SPH) Chinese Media Group (CMG) said yesterday that they had raised over $1.1 million and $188,000, respectively, to help communities in China hit by the outbreak.

These donations were made to the Singapore Red Cross (SRC).

SCCCI said it raised $1.1 million from council members, and the rest from the public. Singapore Metal and Machinery Association, a trade association member of SCCCI, and Tat Hong Group, a corporate member of SCCCI, also donated 3,800 sets of personal protective equipment and 10,000 surgical masks to Singapore healthcare workers, respectively.

The chamber and 10 of its trade associations are also publishing a Chinese poem today, written by local poet Tan Chee Lay, titled As Courageous As You, to pay tribute to all front-line healthcare workers for their selfless acts of courage when dealing with the virus.

SPH's CMG raised its funds through online donations and cheques after the telecast of a live event - which featured local celebrities such as Joanna Dong, Jack Neo, Sharon Au and Liu Lingling - on Feb 9 to show appreciation to medical workers and others on the front lines.

Artwork created by CMG's artists will also be printed and distributed to front-line staff of hospitals and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority "as a gesture of our appreciation for their sacrifice and dedication", said Ms Lee Huay Leng, head of CMG.

OCBC Bank raised $140,000 and rallied its employees to distribute food items, as well as handwritten cards, to cheer on healthcare workers at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases who have been working during the outbreak.

The bank procured 20,000 bottles of bird's nest drinks and more than 45,000 packets of drinks and snacks, which will be delivered to TTSH over the next two weeks, starting from tomorrow.

OCBC also made arrangements with Gong Cha to offer hospital staff up to 1,000 cups of bubble tea daily for the next two weeks.

Four halal restaurants also pitched in by contributing food to show support to 100 healthcare workers at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Home Affairs Amrin Amin, together with representatives from three eateries - Rumah Makan Minang, Positano Risto and Deng Dengduo - delivered curry puffs, kuehs, samosas and pasta to SGH staff yesterday in a show of appreciation for their efforts.

Among them, Rumah Makan Minang will be offering 1, 000 curry puffs every Friday to hospital staff for the next four weeks.

A fourth restaurant, Hajah Maimunah, is giving them 500 pieces of samosa.