KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran artiste Datuk Irwan Shah Abdullah, better known as DJ Dave, has generously donated the RM10,000 cash prize he received from the Rotary Club of Ara Damansara (RCAD) to several religious organisations.
The Yayasan Kebajikan Artis Tanah Air (YKAT) chairman won the prize after being selected as the recipient of the club’s Special Award for Unity recently, for his contribution to the patriotic song ‘Setia Perpaduan’ project.
The singer, known for the song ‘Kini Ku Menangis Lagi’, said the decision to donate the cash prize accompanying the award aimed to further promote unity among the multiracial society in this country.
“I want to promote a culture of mutual respect among everyone. So, I believe it’s best to distribute the money to religious organisations. As a caring Malaysian, I will continue to donate to various charity organisations to promote national unity.
“I also hope to inspire others to continue to live harmoniously as true Malaysians regardless of race and religion,” he told Bernama after presenting the donation here today.
The recipients of the donation are Surau An-Nur in Bandar Menjalara, Canossa Convent Welfare Centre in Jinjang Utara, Choong Wan Koong Temple in Pudu, Persatuan Pengurusan Kuil Subramania Swami in Shah Alam, and Gurdwara Sahib Selayang, each receiving RM2,000.
Meanwhile, RCAD president David Cheah Yik Qin welcomed the singer’s decision and described his actions as noble.
“DJ Dave’s generous and selfless act has indeed left a lasting impact on all of us Rotarians as well as the rest of Malaysia. His outstanding contributions to nurturing national unity and religious harmony only confirm that RCAD has made a wise choice in naming him our first winner of the Special Award for Unity.
“DJ Dave, thank you for inspiring us with your heart of gold and reminding us all of what it truly means to be Malaysian,” he said.
