KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 ― Despite the heavy blow dealt to the hotel industry by Covid-19, 17 establishments in the city pooled their resources to donate hygiene products to treatment and quarantine centres in the city.
The items such as soap-bars, shower gels, shampoos and shower caps were handed over to the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia Response and Relief Team (Imaret) by the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH)
MAH KL chapter chairman BE Lim said when Imaret reached out to MAH, he quickly contacted his peers in various hotels around the city, most of whom responded within 24 to 48 hours. Altogether, 20 hotels in KL contributed hygiene items.
“It just kept coming in and within five days we reached over 20,000 items. Most surprising was the reaction from the company which supplies toiletries and hygiene items to hotels in KL.
“When they heard of what we were doing, the company quickly dispatched 3,000 to 4,000 soap bars without being prompted,” he said during the handover ceremony at St Giles The Gardens Hotel along Lingkaran Syed Putra.
Lim acknowledged the domestic and international restrictions have taken a heavy toll on the industry, but said they would have still helped out regardless.
“Almost 20 per cent of our member-hotels have either temporarily or permanently closed, and many more stringently controlling operating costs. Nonetheless by chipping in, it ensures hygiene practices are maintained.
“Good hygiene is among the preventive measures that can help prevent the spread of Covid-19, and ultimately it hastens the flattening of its spread and businesses can spring back stronger towards economic recovery,” he said.
Imaret chief coordinator Dr Ahmad Munawwar Helmi Salim said he was shocked at the number of goods donated, which will go to the Quarantine and Treatment Centre located in the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang.
“We only expected 3,000 or so items, but when Lim informed me they had reached 12,000 within a day or two of asking, it was unexpected.
“The goods donated are expected to benefit some 13,000 patients in MAEPS, as well as the medical staff on duty to ensure their own self-hygiene,” he said.
Dr Munawwar said the usage of soaps and other hygiene items is quite high at MAEPS, since many of the people being treated or quarantined there may not have brought their own upon arrival.
“Similarly some of them come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and may not have been able to afford those. So these items will go a long way in helping them.
“We at Imaret are very thankful for this gesture by the hotels in KL, even though the economic situation is difficult especially for their industry,” he said.
Dr Munawwar added that he hopes this will inspire other to help out those in need while in quarantine or being treated for Covid-19.
“We are all in this together, it is an all-society approach rather than relying on only all-government approach.
“The sooner we do our part to bring the virus down to manageable levels, the soonest we can look forward to things improving for the economy and country,” he said.
