KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad's call to ASEAN countries to help Indonesia as it begins the task of restoration following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi, leading Malaysian companies, Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (Astro) and Maxis Berhad (Maxis) kickstarted a campaign to help raise funds to Tabung Bencana Gempa Bumi & Tsunami Sulawesi. In this respect Astro, a media company and Maxis, a telecommunications company, will make a joint contribution of RM5 million, or approximately 18 billion rupiah, to the Tabung.
The joint contribution from Astro and Maxis is intended to aid in the restoration of Sulawesi, in particular rebuilding schools and communities. Both Astro and Maxis have always upheld the belief that education plays a vital role in the sustainable economic growth and development of communities.
In addition, Astro will also utilise airtime from TV, radio and digital and its talent for a campaign to raise awareness and to encourage Malaysians to assist in Sulawesi's plight. Astro will continue to provide comprehensive news coverage of the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts via Astro Awani news channel.
Meanwhile, members of the public who are interested to donate to the fund can visit maxis.com.my, www.hotlink.com.my or www.astro.com.my for more information on Tabung Bencana Gempa Bumi & Tsunami Sulawesi.
The RM5 million contribution was presented by Tun Zaki Azmi, Chairman of Astro, and Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Chairman of Maxis, to YAB Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad and Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia YAB Dato' Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also the minister in charge of the fund. Also present at the event were YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, YB Dato' Saifuddin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, Henry Tan, CEO Designate of Astro and Robert Nason, CEO Interim of Maxis.
Tun Dr Mahathir said, "The damage done was great. We would encourage donation to the region. I thank you (Maxis and Astro) for the contribution towards the Tabung Bencana Gempa Bumi & Tsunami Sulawesi."
Tun Zaki said, "It is heart-wrenching what the people of Palu are going through as a result of the tragedy that struck Sulawesi last week. As neighbours in the ASEAN region, we strongly believe it is our responsibility to reach out with a helping hand. This is the spirit of ASEAN. Our contribution will go towards rebuilding schools and communities in Palu, as we believe many schools have been either damaged or destroyed. Our thoughts are with the victims and volunteers who are working tirelessly."
"We are saddened by the tragedy that has struck Palu and the devastation that has impacted its people. It's also important that people are able to stay connected especially across borders. So, we encourage our Hotlink RED customers to connect with their loved ones by taking advantage of the free calls to Indonesia that is currently available to them. We are pleased to be joining Astro in making this humble contribution, which we certainly hope will help the country's efforts in easing the burden of those affected during this difficult time," said Raja Tan Sri Arshad.
Aside from their contributions to Sulawesi's plight, both Astro and Maxis maintain a continued commitment to local humanitarian aid and bettering children's education in rural Malaysia via their individual on-going Corporate Social Responsibility efforts.
About Astro
Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (Astro) is a Malaysian and ASEAN digital-first media and lifestyle company in the Digital, TV, Radio and Commerce space. The company serves 23 million individuals in 5.6 million households, or 76% of Malaysian households, 16.9 million weekly listeners on radio, 7 million unique visitors on our digital platforms and 1.5 million shoppers on Go Shop.
Astro holds the distinction of the 'Gold' award in the Media and Entertainment category at the Putra Brand Awards for 8 consecutive years from 2010 to 2017, the 'Brand of the Year' award in 2012, the 'Brand Icon' award in 2013, the 'Malaysian Marketer of the Year' award in 2016 and the IDC Digital Awards for Malaysia in 2017 and 2018. Astro Kasih is the company's CSR arm, whose award winning programmes have been recognised for its innovation and life-changing impact on the community it aspires to serve.
We Are Maxis
We are the leading communications and internet service provider in Malaysia, enabling 11 million individuals, families and businesses to do more in an Always On world. As our customers increasingly immerse themselves in an ever expanding universe of connected applications, we are obsessed with providing an unmatched end-to-end internet experience -- bringing together advanced always on connectivity and always great tech care. Beyond connecting people with our services, we are passionate about leveraging new technologies to make a positive impact in the community in which we operate.
For more information, please visit: maxis.com.my
