Donation drive for premature refugee twins shows kinder side of M'sians
A donation drive to help with the medical expenses of premature twin babies whose parents are refugees has shown the kinder side of Malaysians who raised more than RM20,000 in less than a day.
Child rights activist Dr Hartini Zainuddin had posted about the plight of the twin babies on her Twitter yesterday, requesting donations to help pay a total of RM31,714 in medical fees.
A donation drive to help with the medical expenses of premature twin babies whose parents are refugees has shown the kinder side of Malaysians after they raised more than RM20,000 in less than a day.
Child rights activist Dr Hartini Zainuddin had posted about the plight of the twin babies on her Twitter yesterday, requesting donations to help pay a total of RM31,714 in medical fees.
“Someone donated RM16,000, it was incredible. Another gave RM2,000. (One donor gave) RM50. The sweetest, kindest gestures.
“Can you imagine, you can’t work, movement control order (MCO), xenophobia, threats of detention and yet, there are so many kind and generous people,” Hartini told Malaysiakini today.
She said the hospital has agreed for RM15,000 to be paid by noon today while the remainder of the fees can be paid in instalments.
The babies, who were born prematurely at 24 weeks with lung complications in February, have been in a government hospital for four months, she said.
Hartini explained that the RM31,714 fee is after a 50 percent discount.
In her Twitter posting yesterday, she had implored the public to donate for the twin girls' medical bill.
“(The babies) are four months old twin girls, born prematurely with health complications. I get this, and my heart drops to my toes. But we need to try so here it is.
“Please. If you find it in your heart to help. Every ringgit helps. The bill so far is RM15,438.50 plus RM16,275.50 for a total of RM31,714.
“We need a miracle. On top of another miracle,” she had posted.
Public sentiment against refugees and migrants have intensified since the MCO was imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with hateful comments proliferating on the Internet.
Authorities have also cracked down and detained hundreds of foreign citizens during the MCO which NGOs say has exacerbated the negative sentiments against refugees and migrants.
Migrant and refugee activists have also reportedly received threats of violence as well as death threats.
Non-Malaysians have to pay a significantly higher fee for medical expenses at a government hospital, compared to Malaysians whose fees are heavily subsidised by the government.
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