By Doreen Ling
KUCHING, May 23: The PETRONAS Muslim Staff Welfare Association (BAKIP) presented RM200,000 wakalah zakat to 200 underprivileged students of the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak Branch today.
In her speech, PETRONAS Sarawak general manager Norazibah Md Rabu said that the contribution is not just monetary assistance, as it also represents compassion, attentiveness, and moral support towards the students.
“In our everyday lives, we are always tested with various challenges. However, in every challenge, there is an opportunity for us to show a sense of social responsibility and the spirit of helping each other.
“Today, through the presentation of this wakalah zakat, we can help those in need,” she said at the ceremony, which was held at the Tun Abdul Razak Library in the UiTM Samarahan Campus 2 today, where she handed over the wakalah zakat to the rector of UiTM Sarawak, Professor Dr Firdaus Abdullah.
“I hope that this contribution will be useful to the students in lessening their daily expenses, as well as being able to motivate them to continue working hard in their studies and self-development to be able to contribute to the country,” she said.
At the same time, she also expressed her appreciation to all who made the ceremony a success, including the university’s management, Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak, and PETRONAS and BAKIP personnel.
BAKIP is a staff-led body within PETRONAS that serves as a platform for Muslim employees to engage and participate in religious and charitable activities whilst enriching Islamic understanding among employees as well as fostering a spirit of cooperation and mutual assistance.
This year, BAKIP received an allocation of RM2 million to be distributed to 10 public universities nationwide, of which UiTM Sarawak was a recipient, as well as the UPM Bintulu campus, which also received RM200,000.
The programme, which reinforces BAKIP’s commitment to the welfare and educational advancement of the community in Sarawak, was also implemented in Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Selangor, and Terengganu. — DayakDaily
