It has come to Yayasan Suria JB’s founder, James Ho’s realisation that there is a need to help Johor’s quarantine centre after he underwent quarantine period himself, returning from his 13 days of non-medical volunteer mission in Semporna, Sabah. While the basic needs of food supplies are met, there is the need of emotional and mental support being in an enclosed space with strangers, apart from friends and family members.
This is supported by Ihsan Johor’s CEO, Farrah Faridah Baptist in her Facebook share where she stated that the centre’s personnel asked the volunteers if there are any activities that could be done to put some cheer in the environment. They had so much time but so little to do.
There are about 160 patients at Stage 1 and 2 at the Pasir Gudang indoor stadium, now a makeshift COVID-19 quarantine centre (PKRCPG). These patients are asymptomatic or lightly symptomatic and allowed to do their daily routines as usual.
14 agencies, including 2 Non-Government Organisations that are past recipients of Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards (IMSHA), Ihsan Johor and Yayasan Suria JB had made up a total number of 160 personnel that had come together to do some aerobic exercise daily and birthday parties for the patients accordingly.
Jointly coordinated with Malaysia Youth and Sports Ministry, the daily aerobics were held by professional coaches tailored for recovering patients to stretch their joints and also to boost their morale. According to Farrah, the coaches are more than happy to join in the effort, citing it is good to do something during the Movement Control Order (MCO) that requires most of them to stay at home.
James said, “To add variety in the daily work out, yoga classes are in the pipeline”.
Ihsan Johor together with Yayasan Suria JB has supplied RM5K worth of ‘goodies’, ranging from fridges, bread toaster, banquet tables, pails, Mandarin oranges, bread & buns, mineral water, packet drinks, Milo, bread, kaya, and etc. The cause was supported by agencies like NADMA, MOH, PDRM, APM, RELA, JKM, ATM, BOMBA, MEDIVEST, Department of Information, SAJ and Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG).
Ihsan Johor and Yayasan Suria JB are welcoming any fitness instructors to help organise the daily activities. Interested parties can head to https://www.facebook.com/IhsanJohorRangers/ for more details.
