To spread greater understanding on the theme of this year’s World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April, 191 staff of OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad (OCBC Al-Amin) recently walked, ran or cycled for three kilometres. In total they covered a cumulative total of almost 600 kilometres while raising RM30,300 to support the cause of autistic children in Malaysia.

The funds will be channelled through IDEAS Autism Centre (IAC) which OCBC Al-Amin has been supporting for the past seven years.

According to OCBC Al-Amin Chief Executive Officer Tuan Syed Abdull Aziz Syed Kechik, the long-term support toward IAC is closely aligned to one of the Bank’s five core values, Lasting Value, which focusses on creating long-term partnerships with the community it serves.

“This is our second year organising this virtual fund-raising event – albeit with a hybrid dimension too – due to the movement restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. But behind it all is the backbone of our 8-year partnership with IAC which has continued to advocate awareness of autism especially among children and their families.

“I am pleased to share that we managed to raise the bar this year and collectively reached covered about 600 kilometres with the message to embrace differences in our journey toward raising the RM30,300,” he said.

OCBC Al-Amin staff and IDEAS Autism Centre teachers and students walked together to support the cause

According to Founding President and Chairman of IDEAS, Tunku Zain Al'Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz, the support from OCBC Al-Amin was timely and welcome.

“We are blessed to be able to carry out this project yet again and would like to thank the OCBC Al-Amin staff who have continued to support us in our efforts even during these challenging times. We continue to need assistance and funding to provide quality care and education for 40 autistic children here at our centre in Rawang. This is a meaning partnership that we hope we serve to ensure autistic children and adults are able to better integrate into the wider society,” he said.