A community health screening event was halted halfway today after the insurance firm that sponsored it pulled out, claiming the local Terengganu assemblyman politicised it. 

 

The community event jointly organised by the National Kidney Foundation and insurance company Allianz Insurance was halted halfway after the assemblyperson for Bandar in Terengganu, Azan Ismail, was accused of “gatecrashing” the event.  
The insurance company, which sponsored the event, said it does not wish to affiliate with any political party.
 
Allianz accused Azan of politicising banners of the event with his PKR’s party logo. 
 
Speaking to Malaysiakini , Azan said the event was not done to promote his party but to improve the health of the rural people of Pasar Cabang Tiga.
 
“The company told me to cancel the event and remove my banners as it does not want connection with any political party.
 
“This is disappointing, as this event was to provide free health screening to the people of this area of which I am the assemblyperson,” Azan said.
 
Azan said he was approached by the National Kidney Foundation to help with the event.
 
"The foundation contacted me as the local representative to partake in the event. It also asked me to sponsor and put up the canopies, tables and chairs needed to run the event," Azan said. 
 
Allianz, on the other hand, claimed that it was not told of Azan’s involvement. 
 
“The event was to be held as a healthcare outreach programme in association with the NKF, we had no idea that the local state representative was involved,” Allianz Insurance chief executive officer Zakri Mohd Khir told Malaysiakini .

 

Zakri said the event was to have been organised by by Allianz and the National Kidney Foundation, and was not to have involved politicians. 
 
NKF was not available for comment when contacted.