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Tzu Chi marks 60 years of humanitarian service o Ceremony held to celebrate decades of education, community and disaster relief work nationwide and overseas Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PSC targets appointment of

30,000 civil servants KUANTAN: The Public Service Commission (PSC) is targeting 30,000 civil servant appointments this year, compared with the 25,000 appointments last year. Its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Jailani Muhamed Yunus said the target was in line with the need to replace retiring officers as well as the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure the continuity of public service delivery to the people. He said although applications for the civil service recorded a decrease of about 200,000 from 1.2 million in 2024 to around one million in 2025, Ahmad Jailani remained optimistic that the number of applications would increase again in 2026 and 2027. “The number of applications to the PSC recorded around 1.2 million in 2024, while last year it decreased to one million. However, we expect the number to be maintained at more than one million this year, God willing.” He told reporters this at the Kuantan PSC Madani Career Journey programme at a hotel here yesterday. In addition, Ahmad Jailani said the decrease in applications for the civil service was due to the implementation of new qualification requirements under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA) which sets the minimum qualification of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). “The SSPA starts with SPM and above, therefore we see this reduction in the number of applications for those who only have Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP), Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) or lower qualifications,“ he said. Commenting on the career programme, he said it was the first time it was held in Pahang and was PSC’s ongoing effort to reach out to youth and job seekers. – Bernama Bus schedule adjusted for tourist experience KUCHING: The free electric bus schedule to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre near here has been adjusted to improve the tourist experience, especially in ensuring punctual arrival at the orangutan feeding time. Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the adjustment was made after it was discovered that the previous schedule had caused some tourists to arrive late, thus missing out on the opportunity to witness the animal feeding session. “Based on the old schedule, some buses were not fully utilised because tourists arrived after the orangutan feeding time. So, the schedule needs to be adjusted to better meet the needs of tourists.” “The orangutan feeding time at the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is held twice a day, at around 10 am and between 3 and 4 pm, and the new bus schedule has now been arranged earlier to meet those needs,“ he told reporters during a working visit on an electric bus from the Open Air Market to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre yesterday. He explained that the visit was to assess the effectiveness of the new routes and schedules introduced, as well as to ensure that the use of the electric bus service was more optimal and in line with the main activity schedule at the wildlife centre. Abdul Karim said the free electric bus service also passes through several major hotels around Kuching to facilitate the movement of tourists and locals. To date, the Sarawak government has provided four electric buses that are environmentally friendly, in line with the state’s commitment towards sustainable tourism and reducing carbon emissions. – Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of volunteers and dignitaries, including Berjaya Corporation Bhd founder and advisor Tan Sri Vincent Tan, gathered yesterday as the Tzu Chi Foundation marked 60 years of transforming lives through compassion, education and disaster relief. From reaching stateless children to rushing aid to flood-hit communities, the foundation’s work has touched thousands – and yesterday’s Year-End Blessing ceremony was a vivid remembrance of decades of selfless service. Tan, who has supported Tzu Chi’s charitable initiatives since 2017, participated in the ceremony which showcased the foundation’s humanitarian, educational and community programmes across Malaysia and abroad. The event also featured accomplished biologist and award-winning volunteer Chee Hui Yee who shared a deeply personal account of how faith-based education and community service reshaped her family and parenting journey over the past two decades. Chee, who described herself as a former “tiger mother” – strict, demanding and focused on academic success – joined the Parent-Child Bonding Class (PCBC) in 2006 after hearing that Buddhist teachings could transform family relationships. The programme introduced her to Tzu Chi founder Master Cheng Yen’s philosophy of kindness, positivity and leading by example, prompting her to rethink her approach to parenting. “The classes helped me realise the emotional impact my harsh approach could have had on my children,” Chee said. “I began involving my daughters in community and humanitarian activities under Tzu Chi, making volunteering a family practice that nurtures confidence, empathy and social responsibility. “As Asian parents, we tend to scold more than we praise, but through community service, my children experienced encouragement and appreciation from others.” Over the years, the family has taken part in local and international humanitarian missions, including disaster relief following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, floods in France and refugee assistance in Syria. Chee also conducted Jing Si Aphorisms

Tan (centre) participating in the ‘Year-End Blessing’ ceremony yesterday. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

During the major Sarawak floods earlier this year, Tzu Chi volunteers assisted over 17,000 residents. With limited manpower in East Malaysia, 172 volunteers from Klang Valley travelled at their own expense to Miri and Bintulu, visiting more than 4,600 households and distributing cash aid to over 2,800 families. The foundation also responded swiftly following the gas explosion in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya which injured 145 people and displaced numerous families. Within three weeks, emergency financial assistance reached 248 households, while volunteers conducted home visits providing emotional support regardless of religion or ethnicity. Tzu Chi’s Assistive Device Centre, launched in 2024 has loaned over 2,300 medical devices, including wheelchairs and hospital beds free of charge, benefiting an average of 166 families each month. Other initiatives include supporting the underprivileged, refugee and stateless children through subsidies and tuition programmes. He said the road and bridge construction projects in Nanga Bangkit and Nanga Nansang Tekalit, as well as the Song Waterfront and Jungle Produce Market projects, were set to improve access to the interior, enhance the town’s aesthetics and spur local economic growth. Nanta also said that the Jalan Nanga Kabah/SK Beguang project under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry was currently being implemented and is scheduled for completion in 2027. At the ceremony, he also presented letters of appointment to three new community leaders and 43 t uai rumah (traditional head of the longhouse) in addition to certificates of appreciation to three retired community leaders. – Bernama

sessions in schools, promoting gentle moral education and emotional healing for children affected by disasters. “You don’t need to tell children what to do – you show them through your actions,” she said, adding that her children gradually came to see service as a way of life. Her eldest daughter, who grew up attending PCBC activities, became a Tzu Chi commissioner in 2025. The foundation will continue its 60th anniversary celebrations on May 10 at the National Hockey Stadium, Bukit Jalil, combining Buddha Day, Mother’s Day and Tzu Chi Day, while remaining committed to serving communities and inspiring families to volunteer, with an expected 10,000 participants. Beyond personal stories, Tzu Chi representatives highlighted the foundation’s extensive humanitarian impact in Malaysia. In 2025 alone, volunteers recorded over 66,000 service instances, providing long-term assistance to more than 2,400 families nationwide. He expressed appreciation to the Sarawak Public Works Department and its Kapit division, Kapit District Council and the contractor for efficiently executing the project and meeting both the specifications and contract timeline. Nanta also witnessed the symbolic handover of equipment under the Community@Score Recoda socioeconomic programme implemented by the Ulu Rajang Development Agency. The pilot project involved nine participants from the inland fisheries sector in the Song district, with each receiving seven types of equipment, including fibre boats and outboard engines, to boost freshwater fish production and enhance household income. In other developments, he said several physical development projects were being implemented and would be carried out in the Song and Kapit areas, including the Nanga Banjor/Nanga Makut and Nanga Makut/Nanga

‘Govt committed to enhancing rural infrastructure’ KAPIT: The government remains committed to strengthening rural infrastructure to enhance the people’s wellbeing, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. Engkuah road projects as well as the proposed construction of roads and bridges connecting Jalan Nanga Belawai to Jalan Song–Kapit.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Dewan Kebiau at the Song Resettlement Scheme Phase II in Kebiau yesterday, he said the RM1.92 million multi-purpose hall represents another key facility for the local community and demonstrates the state and federal governments’ commitment to delivering modern and inclusive infrastructure in rural areas. “The project was fully completed on May 13, 2024. It has become a testament to progress and unity in the district,” he said. Nanta, who is also the Kapit MP, said Dewan Kebiau was more than a venue for gatherings, serving as a hub for cultural, social, economic, educational and religious activities that strengthen community ties.