River clean-up initiative in Sungai Air Hitam attended by Environment and Water Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang, (front left), group international business and corporate banking managing director Wendy Ting (second row centre) group wholesale banking managing director Syed Ahmad Taufik Albar (on Ting’s left), Rashid (on Taufik’s left) and other volunteers. - LOW BOON TAT/THE STAR
RHB’s annual community engagement programme – RHB Touch Hearts is back with more than 40 initiatives Asean-wide
AFTER two years of putting its annual RHB Touch Hearts programme on the back burner due to the Covid-19 pandemic, RHB Banking Group kicked off its Touch Hearts 2022 event with over 40 on-the-ground humanitarian and environmental initiatives.
Touch Hearts 2022 saw 14,000 of the bank’s employees across the Asean region banding together and volunteering their time for four broad community engagement projects ranging from uplifting communities, environmental protection and conservation, education to health.
“We started Touch Hearts in 2016 but were not able to continue due to the pandemic,” said RHB group managing director and group chief executive officer Mohd Rashid Mohamad at his first stop of the day at Kampung Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda (KDABB) in Kajang on Aug 20.
“This year, RHBians are especially excited to be able to recommence the programme with a very special theme that is synced with our new purpose statement – Making Progress Happen for Everyone.”
As part of the environmental initiative, Rashid along with the team from the group’s international business and corporate banking division were ankle-deep in Sungai Air Hitam at KDABB, clearing rubbish along riverbanks, riverbeds and its surrounding areas.
He was joined by 70 RHBians who stood out in the river sporting the group’s light blue corporate T-shirts and yellow rubber boots under the early morning sun.
He said the team spearheading this initiative dubbed the clean-up effort the Sustainable Inside, Sustainable Outside project, whereby they identified the difficulties residents faced in the area such as waste management issues resulting in water pollution in rivers.
RHB Islamic Bank managing director Datuk Adissadikin Ali (far right) launched the clean water system at Maahad Tahfiz Baitul Hasanah, Kuantan in conjunction with RHB Touch Hearts 2022, witnessed by Yayasan Ikhlas director of corporate relations Kamaruddin Kassim (third from left).
A veteran of the Touch Hearts initiative, Rashid has been an active participant since its inception. He recalls his last stint before the pandemic whereby he planted mangrove trees in Sijangkang, Selangor. This year, he is thrilled to be involved in the wider programme, going from one location to another after stepping into his new role on April 1.
“This is the first year I’m participating as the GMD and GCEO, and I would certainly like this heartwarming tradition of RHB to continue; it’s for a good cause and you can see the involvement, commitment and collaboration between RHBians.
“I’m very pleased with what RHBians are doing this year. All the Touch Hearts projects have their own merits and are equally important. It is a shame that I can only participate in some of them,” he said.
Rashid later proceeded to join another RHB team, from group compliance, at Pusat Pertanian Putra in Puchong before heading to Kampung Orang Asli, Serendah in Selangor.
The project in Serendah is part of the group’s humanitarian efforts. He said it was spearheaded by the group human resource team which named this initiative the Healing Hearts project, to uplift and improve the surrounding infrastructure, enhance educational resources, and increase awareness on importance of health and wellness among the community.
Books were donated to the community hall library and RHBians promoted hygiene and sanitation awareness for students by leading a gotong-royong activity.
Rashid officiated the installation of solar-powered street lamps by braving a skylift ride, showing the RHB team how it’s done.
RHB Sarawak region team planted a total of 425 trees to help strengthen the rainforest and improve wildlife habitat, as well as provide shelter and food supply for wildlife in Sematan.
Amongst the many notable events that happened concurrently included the Green, Clean and Sustainable project in Kuantan organised by group shariah business, where 67 students, school teachers and staff from Maahad Tahfiz Baitul Hasanah benefited from the efforts..
This involved creating a source of clean water for the students’ daily usage, providing a conducive classroom environment, and education on financial literacy and sustainability.
RHB Cambodia team provided refurbished PCs to underprivileged children at an orphanage to help enhance their education resources as part of RHB’s goal to uplift the communities across the Asean region.
The Tree Planting: Saving Sarawak’s Rainforests project was organised by the RHB Sarawak region team whereby 150 RHBians planted 425 trees, which included native species to strengthen the rainforest and improve wildlife habitat, and trees that provide shelter and food supply for wildlife.
“As a leading financial institution, we are in a position to make a significant positive social impact which goes a long way towards uplifting the lives of the communities through various projects across the Asean region, as well as creating greater awareness on environmental protection and conservation.
“We hope to foster a sense of responsibility amongst our employees in giving back to those in need as well as to be more attentive to the protection of the environment,” Rashid said.
