IPOH, July 30 — In order to raise funds for charity homes in Malaysia and Thailand, pastor Cheah Chee Moon is pulling rickshaw for about 3,000km from Johor Baru to Chiang Rai, Thailand, which is equivalent to 3.3 million footsteps.
The sixty-year-old pastor who started his journey on July 7 aims to finish the entire journey in 75 days while hoping to raise RM600,000 in the process.
Cheah said the money will be donated to four charity homes in Malaysia and also to the Agape Children Home in Chiang Rai, which he owns.
“Most of the charity homes are suffering financially nowadays. People who came to help these homes prefer to donate food and other things instead of money.
“Food alone can’t help these charity homes to operate, they have bills, salary and other stuffs to pay,” he told reporters when met at the Precious Gift Home here today.
Other homes, which will be benefited from his deed are the Good Samaritan Home in Selangor, Precious Gift Home in Perak and Berkat Children Home and Cheng En Charity Association in Johor.
Cheah also added that he will also donate some of the amount to Tabung Harapan.
Cheah said Ipoh was his 20th spot after hauling through Johor Baru, Kulai, Simpang Rengam, Air Hitam, Batu Pahat, Melaka, Port Dickson, Klang, Teluk Intan and a few other places.
“I still got a long way to go... I only have completed 600km for now. I will leave to Taiping today,” he said, adding he is traveling via the trunk roads as highway are too dangerous for such trips.
The father of two adult children aged 29 and 19 said that the rickshaw alone weighs 55kg and with his belongings such as clothes and water, it could easily reach about 70kg.
“To be honest, the difficult part was not the weight I’m pulling, but the weather, it was too hot.
“Since the start of my journey, I did not see any rain. Only when I reached here, there was some rain,” he said.
Cheah said that he will start his day as early as possible and will end it by 5pm and expect to cover around 50km to 60km per day.
“Whenever I reach a town, I will try to look for my friends and stay with them just for a night. If I couldn’t find any, then I will put up at a budget hotel,” he said.
He said that sleeping well is vital in this mission as lack of rest will hinder the process of pulling the rickshaw.
Cheah, who has been cycling for charity for 20 years, said that he decided to use the rickshaw pulling method as he wanted to try something new and challenging.
“The rickshaw was sponsored by my friend William and we ask a man from Melaka to refurbish it,” he said.
Cheah said will only accept small monetary donations during his journey and requested donors with larger amounts to bank in the money directly to the Pure Love Caring Fund to the RHB Bank account number 21242 4000 43310. Those with enquiries can contact Robert Ong at handphone 019-314-5361 for more information.
Menglembu assemblyman Stephen Chow, who represented Wong May Ing the Perak state executive council member in charge of state character, women, family and welfare development said the state government will donate RM1,000 for this charity work.
Chow, who flagged off Cheah’s journey here, said that he will personally donate another RM1,000 for the charity homes.
