SOME 1,300 residents of Taman Emas high-rise flats in Teluk Kumbar in Penang got some cheer upon coming home to find their blocks had been given a fresh coat of paint.

The surau of the flats was also upgraded.

It was furnished with new carpets and curtains and it was also repainted on the exterior.

Both the projects were undertaken by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called the Penang Malay Congress.

Its president Rahmad Isahak said the project was funded by a Penang-born entrepreneur who wished to remain anonymous.

“The flats before they were repainted were unsightly.

“Since they were constructed 22 years ago, they had not been given a fresh coat of paint until now.”

The total amount spent on both the repainting of the blocks and the upgrading of the surau was RM330,000.

“The sum was donated by the entrepreneur. The work took one and a half months to complete.

“We are probably the first NGO in Malaysia who has managed to complete this type of project,” he said before launching the repainting effort recently.

Rahmad stressed there was no political motive behind the repainting effort.

“We are an NGO who just want the best for the Malay community and we truly want to help those who are in need.

“These projects will also benefit the non-Malays who are living here,” he said.

The flats consist of three five-storey blocks totalling 320 units.

Source: The Star