Lotus aims to give frontliners a comfortable environment to rest, sleep and recuperate after their daily battle at the hospital.
WITH many corporations and individuals venturing out to help the people at the frontline battle the novel coronavirus, some hotels have opened its doors to welcome the tired but driven medical frontliners of our country.
After an appeal by the Health Ministry (MoH), the Lotus Group of Cos bravely stepped up and invited medical staff to its Lotus Hotel Medan Tuanku on March 25, giving all 82 rooms to the staff.
Its group CEO Datuk R Doraisingam said as the frontliners continue to fight the good fight in curbing the disease from becoming worse, it is important for the group to do its part.
“We want to give the frontliners a comfortable environment to rest, sleep and recuperate after the work they do at the hospital every day,” he told The Malaysian Reserve recently.
The hotel, he said, will be available to the frontliners for as long as it is required by the MoH.
Doraisingam said it is not the only assistance being given to the medical frontliners.
The Lotus Desaru Beach Resort & Spa in Johor has also been providing free packed food and drinks for all essential services in the government departments in Kota Tinggi and Bandar Penawar, Johor.
“We began doing this on March 18 and this was for about 580 people daily who are from the Jabatan Kesihatan Kota Tinggi, Kota Tinggi Police Station, armed forces, Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Penawar, Bandar Penawar Fire Station, mobile patrol vehicle and anti-crime and community security units, Tanjung Sedili Police Station, Pungai Fire Station and Bayu Damai Police Station,” Doraisingam said.
Additionally, Lotus Estate in Jempol, Negri Sembilan, has also been busy providing meals to the police and army forces in Air Hitam, Batu Kikir, Serting Ilir and Lui Selatan for a total of 120 people daily.
“We also sent about 1,000 pieces of shower caps and 1,000 pairs of shoe covers to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital; 20 bags of rice for Red Cross Johor to give to the needy and 300m of non-woollen clothes to make shoe covers for Kota Tinggi hospitals,” Doraisingam said.
He pledged to raise funds for the benefit of the frontliners which include doctors, nurses and attendants through a major fund drive called the Shopee MMA Covid-19 Fund.
This drive is a collaboration between the Malaysian Medical Association, Malaysian Medical Association Foundation and e-commerce platform Shopee.
Meanwhile, another giant group of hotels working to assist the medical frontliners is the Marriott International Hotels Group in Malaysia.
The group joined forces to collect more than 10,000 pieces of essentials including dental kits, soaps, shampoos, shower caps and other personal hygiene kits to be donated to the frontliners.
Marriott International Business Council Malaysia chairman Gregory Gubiani said everyone is fighting this battle together and every bit of effort to aid the healthcare workers is important.
The initiative spearheaded by The Westin Kuala Lumpur (KL), Element KL, Renaissance KL, W KL, Four Points by Sheraton KL Chinatown, Le Méridien KL and Aloft KL Sentral was joined by the hotel’s main supplier for amenities, International Hotel Supply Co.
With the help from the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia Response and Relief Team and UMission International Islamic University Malaysia Volunteer Club, the hotels have received assistance in mobilising the supplies to over 60 quarantine centres throughout Malaysia.
Meanwhile, OYO Hotels and Homes yesterday announced that it will offer free rooms at its partner hotels within 5km radius of Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam Hospital and Tuanku Jaafar Hospital to healthcare practitioners treating Covid-19 cases.
Healthcare practitioners from these hospitals may stay for free at the OYO 89676 Hotel 22 in Seremban, OYO 188 YP Wangsa Hotel in KL and the OYO 882 Hotel Sri Muda Corner Sdn Bhd in Shah Alam until April 14.
Staff identification is required during check-ins as proof of employment.
The response from OYO came after requests began pouring in from social media, non-governmental organisations and medical frontliners to provide rooms within a short radius of hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.
OYO Hotels & Homes country head for Singapore and Malaysia Tan Ming Luk said OYO has a responsibility to ensure that those who require clean affordable living spaces have access to them.
OYO will also continue to accept reservations and check-ins from foreign guests, employees of government agencies and anyone employed in any of the essential services mandated during the Movement Control Order period.
The offer will only cover the room rate as services and facilities at the hotel remain closed, while in-room dining is permitted at hotels with food and beverages outlets. — by DARMINAA UTHAYAKUMAR
Source : The Malaysian Reserve
