A RUBBER trader in Perak has shown Malaysians the true meaning of muhibbah by digging deep into his pockets to keep a Tamil school alive.
Story goes that Yek Dong Ping bought a plot of agricultural land in Ayer Tawar, Perak in the 1990s which also had a Tamil school on it.
Showing a rare generosity of spirit, Yek not only allowed SJK (T) Ayer Tawar to continue operating but also did not collect rent from the school. He also covered the quit rent for the school.
The 78-year-old does this as a gesture of thanks to the Indian rubber tappers who had supported him through the years. Yek said it was important that their children had a conducive environment to learn their mother tongue and further their education.
Last year, the school administrators approached Yek to purchase about three acres of land for expansion and refurbish dilapidated buildings. Although the land was valued at approximately RM200,000 per acre, the septuagenarian agreed to a price far below the market rate.
He also agreed to make a RM50,000 donation to the fund to buy the land, making the selling price of the land RM350,000.
Further reflecting Yek’s generosity, he even reduced the asking price to RM300,000 when the school administrators struggled to raise the required funding.
His selfless attitude has earned him the praise of the school administrators and the Indian community that SKJ (T) Ayer Tawar serves.
If anyone deserves a Datukship, it is Yek Dong Ping who has shown incredible generosity in lending a helping hand to those who have been instrumental in the success of his rubber trading business.
It would be fully deserved as well for displaying the true spirit of muhibbah in going the extra mile for those in need, regardless of ethnicity.
“I am not rich but I can still pay the school’s quit rent,” he humbly remarked.
He is most certainly rich in more ways than one. – Dec 15, 2023
Main pic credit: Sin Chew Daily
