- Also distributes 125 bicycles to school children of Carey Island
It was an unforgettable experience for some 100 children from Tadika Pulau Carey (South and West), Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) Pulau Carey (East, West & South) and Maybank staff as they came together to celebrate the ‘Festival of Lights’ in Menara Maybank.
They were joined by the Chairman of Maybank, Datuk Mohaiyani Shamsudin, members of the Maybank Board of Directors and senior management, in an exciting session filled with music, food and laughter.
The event kicked off with the lighting up of the Kuthu Vilakku, a traditional Indian lamp ceremony to welcome the celebration of Deepavali.
Dressed in their colourful traditional attire with smiles painted across their faces, the children were presented with goodie bags and cash gifts.
The special guests and staff were also mesmerised by the graceful music and traditional dances presented by the Persatuan Seni Kebudayaan India Greentown which created much excitement as guests danced and cheered to the uplifting beats of the troupe.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of 125 bicycles to school children of Carey Island. The 125 bicycles were presented to students of Carey Island who did well in their school examination in the hope that it will encourage the students to excel in their studies in future.
Group Chief Human Capital Officer of Maybank, Nora Manaf said, “This year’s Deepavali celebration is extra special for all of us, as we extended our reach and capabilities in helping communities in need. We awarded these bicycles to children of Carey Island as an acknowledgement for their efforts and perseverance in pursuit of excellence in their studies. As a Group that hold our communities close to our heart, we hope that these gifts of bicycles will help them travel easily to school as they currently have to depend on lorries to transport them.”
Nora also said that prior to this Deepavali celebration, the Group had organised a charity screening of the movie ‘15Malaysia’ for its staff. The proceeds for the screening inclusive of donations by Board members and senior management were used to purchase the 125 bicycles.
The Deepavali event was part of the annual celebration of major Malaysian festivals organised by Maybank Group to spread festive joy to special segments of the community, especially those in need.
“The Deepavali celebration like those of all other festivals, provides opportunities for our staff to appreciate the rich heritage of the respective communities where Maybank operates,” said Nora.
“We strive to strengthen the harmony and understanding amongst different groups of people, as well as provide a platform for our staff to demonstrate Maybank’s mission of humanising financial services when they participate in these activities,” Nora added.
She also said that the communities from Carey Island were close to the heart of Maybank as the Maybank Hindu Staff Society (MHSS) members have been engaging with them through various corporate responsibility (CR) initiatives over the past few years as part of their Group’s Cahaya Kasih employee volunteerism programme.
“We hope that through our continuous efforts, we have been able to create meaningful differences in their lives,” she said.
One of the attendees at the event, Tanusha, 12, from Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Pulau Carey (South), expressed her happiness to be given the opportunity to attend the celebration. “It was a wonderful experience and I hope to come again next year. Thank you, Maybank,” said Tanusha.
Meanwhile, Tinesh, 12, from Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Pulau Carey (East) said, “I’m happy to receive gifts given by Maybank and I would like to thank the Bank for celebrating Deepavali with me. Thank you Maybank!”
To further spread joy for the ‘Festival of Light’, Maybank staff were presented with Indian traditional snacks at the main entrance of Menara Maybank.