KUALA LUMPUR: The Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Education Foundation has received a generous RM300,000 donation from UOA Group for the UTAR Hospital project.

       In a simple ceremony yesterday, a mock cheque was presented to UTAR council member Tan Sri Chor Chee Heung by UOA Development Bhd managing director CS Kong.

       Chor expressed his gratitude for the donation.

       “When UTAR was founded in 2005, its founders and council members hoped to ensure its school fees remain the cheapest when compared to other private universities nationwide.

       “This led to our next project – a not-for-profit hospital – to render services for the less fortunate and we decided to establish it near the university grounds in Kampar.

       “Once completed, we also hope the hospital can offer cheaper medical fees to Malaysians,” said Chor, who is also Star Media Group chairman.

       Kong said UOA Group was honoured with the opportunity to support the development of the not-for-profit community and teaching hospital by UTAR.

       “This hospital will also provide much needed medical services to the community alongside clinical training to medical students,” he said.

       Kong also said the contribution was in conjunction with the launch of South-East Asia’s largest co-living and wellness hub – Komune Living and Wellness – which was designed to create a safe and engaging community for seniors to live longer, happier and healthier lives.

       It is also the first integrated facility in Asia that combines senior co-living spaces with a dedicated wellness hub, offering professional senior care services.

       “As such, we can see that both UOA Group and UTAR share a common objective of making a positive difference by providing a holistic approach towards community healthcare and wellness,” he said.

       Also present at the ceremony were UOA Development executive director Kong Pak Lim and its medical and healthcare chief executive officer Michael Wong.

       In addition, UOA also set up a RM500,000 Senior Care Fund to provide financial aid to eligible young working families in urgent need of support to care for their ageing parents due to financial constraints.

       The fund will be channelled towards the purpose of providing holistic support for seniors by extending subsidies to eligible families in the form of aged care services at Komune Living and Wellness.

       UTAR Hospital was set up by the university as its own not-for-profit teaching hospital and will have a medical centre, a traditional and complementary medicine centre and staff residential quarters.

       Construction of the new hospital is estimated to cost RM350mil.