Kalau nak melentur buluh, biarlah dari rebungnya is an old Malay proverb which shares the wisdom that should one wish to bend bamboo, tis’ best it be done when the plant is young and pliant.

With this in mind, the young-at-heart & still very flexible team undergoing Malakoff’s Leadership Development Programme chose to initiate a fun, educational programme at Sek. Rendah Kebangsaan Andek Mori, Serkat over in Pontian, Johor bright and early mid school week.

A neighbouring facility to the Malakoff-owned Tanjung Bin Power Plant, this school is one of the Company’s ten adopted schools nationwide. It was selected in support of Malakoff CSR initiatives or better known as the Malakoff Community Partnerships.

It was a flurry of activities as Malakoff employees from its nearby plant also joined in the fray, making the total number of volunteers, teachers and children some 350 pax on event day!

Also present to lend their strong support were En. Jainuddin, Senior Vice President, representing Malakoff’s Management team, En. Fauzan, representing the Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah, En Zaini, Penghulu Mukim Serkat, En Hamid Awaluddin & En Samad of Jabatan Bomba Pontian as well as the eloquent and friendly Sargeant Pn. Armila & Cik Azlina of Jabatan Polis Pontian.

After gathering in the carpark behind the school hall, the children were divided into groups. Younger ones were given easier tasks like weeding patches in little gardens. Older ones were given "tougher" jobs like painting the assembly platform and library walls.

Others were seen re-furbishing notice boards in the corridors and tables in the school library. And a select group was charged to diligently sort and arrange new books generously donated by Malakoff and supporters, onto waiting library racks.

A Book Donation Drive carried out company-wide prior to this event day yielded a collection of some 450 books worth approximately RM7,000. Oh, the joy on the faces of the young librarians as they excitedly ripped open boxes and uncovered treasures within!

After stacking the books neatly on the shelves, these proud librarians confidently shared this will surely draw more of their friends to visit and enjoy these latest literary offerings.

After all that weeding, shoveling, scraping, cutting, pasting and painting, hungry children and adults alike were treated to a sumptuous spread of yummy local fare at the school canteen. Tasted just the way Mom & Grandma prepare it in kampong…

Bellies full, the children then trooped off happily with their teachers and visitors to the Hall for the next round of activities.

Aimed at creating an awareness of common (good) values or nilai-nilai murni among school children from an early age, this LDP Group chose to get such messages across via social activities.

Besides promoting the healthy reading habit by donating books of interest and refurbishing the library together with the children, the next part of the programme provided children with a platform to showcase their talent as well as stress the importance of road safety and precautions one can take in the event of a fire.

We were all highly impressed with the talent displayed when select children with learning disabilities took to the stage. They performed a series of local dances to great applause. The crowd was also treated to a medley of popular tunes by one of the students on an electric organ. And the unexpected highlight was the impassioned choral reading in English from an 8-year student. She turned out to be one of the finalists in the recent nationwide choral reading competition which was funded in part by Malakoff. Bravo!

Given that this is a rural area and that many students came to school on either motorcycles with their parents or older family members or simply cycled in themselves, the Group sought to provide useful, practical safety tips for these students and teachers alike.

It is hoped that the interactive lecture by Police Sargent Puan Armila and the exciting fire extinguishing demo session led by En. Hamid from the local Fire Department will have inspired the children to be responsible for safety on the road, in school and at home.

And that they will also use the brand-new battery-operated blinkers & bicycle bells they received as door gifts, when they are next on the roads.

This project was another great platform for Malakoff employees to demonstrate the Company’s firm commitment to being a caring organization and a good neighbour to schools and community folk in locations where it operates. And having lots of fun while at it!

Well done to the LDP Group championing this project and THANK YOU to the rest of Malakoff staff and friends for their generous contribution in terms of books, time and physical presence!