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RMHC Malaysia donates sensory room for special needs children in Perlis

KANGAR: The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Malaysia launched the opening of the Ronald McDonald Sensory Room (RMSR) at A-Heart Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) on February 28, 2022. 

The opening ceremony of the 34th RMSR in Malaysia was graced by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizudin Putra Ibni Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail and the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil. 

The RMSR is part of RMHC Malaysia's programme, where the sensory rooms are fitted with multi-sensory equipment to stimulate primary senses such as sight, sound, touch and smell. 

This helps children with special needs and learning disabilities to develop cognitive skills and build self-confidence. 

The new sensory room is RMHC Malaysia's contribution and support to the learning and development programme for children with special needs of the state of Perlis, which will be conducted by A-Heart (Autism Hub For Educational Resources And Training) at the Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Main Library of UniMAP.

To date, RMHC has developed a total of 35 RMSRs throughout Malaysia, the largest network of sensory rooms in the country. 

With over RM3.7 million channelled towards RSMRs, they have benefited more than 7,000 children with special needs, including those in Sabah and Sarawak. 

Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald's Malaysia cum President of RMHC Malaysia Dato' Azmir Jaafar said that the launch of RSMR in Perlis completes the RMSR network nationwide, as the facility of RMSR is now available at every state of Malaysia, making RMHC Malaysia an organisation that owns the largest network of sensory rooms in the country. 

"We are very honoured to be able to collaborate with A-Heart and UniMAP to provide much-needed facilities for children with special needs in Perlis.

"These sensory rooms are also equipped with the necessary tools for counsellors of children with special needs, so they can provide the most suitable guidance to the children," he said.

The event also witnessed McDonald's Malaysia handing over their corporate zakat contributions worth RM100,000 to the Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Perlis (MAIPs). 

The zakat contributions were presented by Dato 'Azmir Jaafar to MAIPs Head of Strategic and Initiative Unit, Azizul Fitri Ismail. 

From left: Dato' Azmir Jaafar, Tuanku Syed Faizudin Putra Ibni Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil, Dr. Zaliman Sauli and Azizul Fitri Ismail.

"McDonald's Malaysia's corporate zakat contribution is our responsibility, as a 100 per cent Muslim-owned entity company, and a token of our appreciation to the community for supporting our business even during movement control orders," said Dato' Azmir Jaafar.

Aside from the zakat contributions, it is estimated that over 7,000 community-based activities were successfully organised every year under the Program Komuniti at McDonald's and RMHC, involving McDonald's restaurants across Malaysia.

This includes programmes such as food donation drives for frontliners, Chinese New Year celebrations with the elderly community at old folks' homes, and after-prayer meals (moreh) sponsorships to mosques near McDonald's restaurants in the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

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