Donate to charity via machines

By SALINA KHALID

FIRST, there were ATM machines which made banking more convenient. Then, there were vending machines and auto parks.

Now, there is a machine for donation to charity.

“It provides an easier way for the public to make donations to selected charitable organisations.

“Donations can be made via cash or cheque at the machine.

Making giving easier: Tan (left) demonstrating how the charity kiosk machine works to Ena Ling (right) and Rosehayati during the launch at 1 Utama shopping centre recently.

“All one need to do is just follow the instructions, and then receive a receipt as proof of their donation,” OpenSys (M) chief executive officer Tan Kee Chung said at the launch of the OpenSys Charity Kiosk at 1 Utama shopping centre on Tuesday.

Also present at the launch were Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation (KDSF) national centre patron Toh Puan Ena Ling, Hospis Malaysia general manager Rosehayati Ahmad Noordin, United Voice assistant secretary Alex Tang and 1 Utama shopping centre head for the group’s managing information system department Gary Yau.

The self-service kiosk, called Efficient Service Machines (ESM), is located on the first floor of the shopping centre. It allows the public to make donations to the KDSF, Hospis Malaysia and United Voice.

Tan said the kiosk at 1 Utama was the first of its kind in the country.

The company is planning to install machines at other locations, too.

“We hope this machine will provide an additional avenue for the organisations to get public donations, especially during these tough economic times,” said Tan.

He said the company would take care of the maintenance costs and would not impose any service charge for the service.

Collection will be done fortnightly and the funds collected will be forwarded to the respective organisations immediately.

“We will have representatives of the organisations present when we open the machine,” he said.

KDSF is a non-profit organisation that provides education and training to children with Down Syndrome, while United Voice is the first society in Malaysia that promotes self-advocacy for those with various type of disabilities.

Hospis Malaysia provides free palliative care for terminally-ill patients in the Klang Valley.

All three organisations are fully dependent on donations to provide services to the less fortunate.

OpenSys is now the market leader with more than 50% market share in the provision of these kiosks to banks, insurance and telecommunication companies in Malaysia.