BY JASNITA AHMAD and LAKESH KUMAR
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Over 1,500 volunteers managed to get into the Malaysia Book of Records (MBoR) by engaging in 48 hours of non-stop community service activities here.
The Inisiatif Bakti programme held at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) involved not only students but also staff, administrators and local communities across the district and Kuching.
The initiative, ranging from environmental conservation projects to social outreach, brought the spirit of volunteerism to the fore, securing a place in the MBoR for the longest non-stop volunteer activities.
In commending the efforts, Women, Childhood, and Community Well-being Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, praised the students’ achievement, emphasising that their collective efforts embodied a holistic approach to community service.
“When we work together, as in the government, implementing agencies, the civil service, private sectors, and non-governmental organisation (NGOs), we ensure no one is left behind.
“Volunteerism, driven by sincere hearts, plays a crucial role in achieving community wellbeing,” she said during the programme’s closing ceremony at the university here today.
Fatimah said the students’ dedication reflected a significant step towards enhancing Sarawak’s Social Wellbeing Index, with aspirations to elevate it to a score of eight out of 10 in the near future.
“This spirit shown by our youth indicates a strong value system not only for thinking about oneself but also prioritising the well-being of the community around them,” she added.
She said the Inisiatif Bakti programme reinforced the importance of empathy, leadership and teamwork, values which Unimas proudly nurtures among its students.
“This is not just a programme. It is a movement to restore humanity’s core values in the modern world,” Fatimah said.
