GENTING Founder’s Day is celebrated in recognition of the remarkable legacy of the founder of the Genting Group, the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong. Over 1,500 people gathered to commemorate the event recently. Also present were the Universiti Malaya Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman and the Dementia Care Centre patron Puan Sri Cecilia Lim.
At the this year’s affair, Genting Group chairman and chief executive Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay was seen presenting a plaque to Medical Professor of UM and Medical Director of the Dementia Care Centre, Prof. Dr. Tan Maw Pin and the Centre Manager, Muhammad Mujada Rosli. The plaque marked the handover of the new Dementia Care Centre to the management team of the Geriatric Division at UM.
“Genting Berhad has over the past decade been involved in research and development for new treatments and new ways for early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease through our various investments in life sciences companies. We hope that our investments in these companies will benefit Malaysia, through knowledge transfer via collaborations between these world class companies and researchers with our local universities and local researchers, through bringing cutting edge technology to Malaysia to combat ageing and diseases, and through creating employment in Malaysia. But until a cure is found, people with dementia, their family and caregivers need our help and support,” said the chairman and chief executive.
Lim also shared that the Centre is purpose-built and designed to offer day care services for people suffering from dementia. It will be operated on a charitable basis, as part of the Genting Group’s corporate social responsibility undertaking.
It was said that the 825.3sqm centre s owned by the Genting Group is designed to accommodate up to 50 patients at any one time and was established because of the need for a dedicated facility to provide care for patients suffering from the disease. It will also conduct training to caregivers. UM’s geriatric division personnel were said to be instrumental in giving input on the design and training of the centre staff.
Collaboration between the Genting Group and UM will continue in the area of research efforts in dementia care in Malaysia. The former who took up the costs to build and equip the centre, will also see to on-going operational costs.
“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with the Genting Group to establish the Dementia Care Centre,” said Tan.
“We are also extremely touched by their interest especially Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, in helping families of persons living with dementia. The centre will be providing day care to persons living with dementia so that family members can continue to work, earn an income, and be a productive member of society,” Tan added. The centre is expected to open its doors soon.
In conjunction with Founder’s Day, an inaugural Eminent Speakers Conference Series was also co-organised by the Genting Group and UM where Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was seen engaging in a dialogue session with a panel of speakers and representatives from Genting Berhad and UM. While medical advances was the main topic of discussion, healthy ageing was also addressed.
At the same event, 23 employees of the Genting Group were presented with tokens of appreciation in recognition of their long service with the organisation and for demonstrating life principles of the late founder - hard work, honesty, harmony, loyalty and compassion.
