Monday, 03 August 2009

The following is a transcript of the new president's speech, Dr. Ahmad Faizal Perdaus at the Media Luncheon held in KL on the 3 August, 2009.

YBhg. Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood;
MERCY Malaysia’s Exco members;
Members of the Media; Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Assalamualaikum Wrh Wbt and a very good afternoon to everyone.

Welcome to our appreciation lunch-cum-media briefing today.

First and foremost, a very warm and gracious welcome and thanks to all for your presence and support at this afternoon's event as we bid good tidings and bon voyage to our dear President, YBhg. Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood.

Indeed, today will be the start of many more such functions for me especially in continuing the good work left by our beloved President. Indeed, she has left a very high benchmark and a legacy for generations to come.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We all have known Dr. Jemilah Mahmood who founded MERCY Malaysia in June 1999. Through MERCY, she has managed to bring together Malaysians and even some non-Malaysians from all walks of life with the common goal to serve humanity especially those in need, irrespective of race, religion, culture or boundary.

Indeed, MERCY Malaysia is proud and grateful to have a committed and dedicated leader in Dr. Jemilah, to guide and lead this organization from the very beginning since its inception and for many years now, ten years to be exact.

Not many realize that as a matter of fact, she has been on sabbatical leave for six months since January 2009 till June 2009, so as to enable MERCY Malaysia to still continue to move on even without her presence and to allow others in the organization to step up to the plate .

Together, we have ensured that a proper succession plan has been put in place, for us to implement accordingly and to continue this legacy.

Although it would not be the same without her formidable presence, we are positive that we can still continue to live her legacy handed down to us by implementing MERCY Malaysia’s visions – to be outstanding in the delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to all. It is indeed a tribute to her and a crowning achievement of her ten years in office that she will leave MERCY Malaysia stronger and more sustainable today than it has ever been

There is much still to be done. For if there is one thing about MERCY Malaysia that Jemilah has managed to instil in us is that the pursuit for excellence is an endless one and there is no time for us to rest on our laurels. Indeed the humanitarian aid business, if we can call it as such, does not allow us to do so. There is always much more to do.

I for one am very proud and yet greatly humbled to take over her place although it is a very big responsibility and a big shoe to fill in. However, I will try my best to move forward and lead MERCY Malaysia as an organization which has been widely recognized and acknowledged for its ongoing good work to people in need everywhere.

Ladies and gentlemen,

One of Tan Sri Jemilah's and therefore MERCY Malaysia’s strengths over the past ten years is her ability to build meaningful relationships with so many individuals and groups. Some of them are very talented and gifted people and their efforts have helped put MERCY Malaysia where it is today. One of Dr. Jemilah’s many extraordinary friends, the late Yasmin Ahmad, another great and well-respected individual who lived her life fully and excelled in her field of expertise till the very end.

With that, we would like to share with you shortly our first corporate video of which will ‘visually narrate’ what MERCY Malaysia is all about. There is a history behind this video...

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before I end my speech, please allow me to once again extend my sincere thanks to Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood for all the contributions given all these years. To Dr. Jemilah, I promise you that all of us at MERCY will do our best to uphold and honour the legacy that you have left, that of MERCY Malaysia and the cause that it upholds. This is our pledge to you and the organization.

I speak for all of us under MERCY. We will continue to strive, to help the people all around especially to those vulnerable communities.

Last but not least, thank you all for your kind presence and support.

With this, I present to you MERCY Malaysia’s inaugural corporate video.

Thank you!

Assalamualaikum Wrh Wbt.

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