LAHAD DATU (May 17, 2023): A volunteer self-help group here has evolved into a life-saving group of blood donors.
PEMA, the POIC Emergency Mutual Aid, started at POIC Lahad Datu industrial park since 2014 as a group to the POIC investor’s community on emergency preparation.
PEMA is led by BOMBA and its members consist of the investors/companies in operation in POIC Lahad Datu.
“With the help of BOMBA Search and Rescue, our intention was to rally volunteers to be trained to deal with emergencies,” recalled Lynette Hoo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd, the state-owned company responsible for POIC Lahad Datu. “We now not only have a group of close-knit first responders, but also a group of blood-giving advocates who are a big help to the local blood bank.”
In PEMA’s sixth edition blood donation drive on May 16-17, the group managed to collect 113 pints of blood which, was believed to be the best results among several groups of similar intention.
In response to the group successfully collecting 98 pints in its campaign early this year, a blood bank official had remarked that PEMA has become one of the most important blood-donor groups in the district.
“That blood saves lives may have become a cliché but its importance is not diminished. We are glad that our close relationship with investors within POIC Lahad Datu has turned us into a force for good,” said Lynette Hoo.
POIC Lahad Datu started in 2005. It has to date more than 50 investors with a total investment in excess of RM3.7 billion. A stand-out feature of POIC Lahad Datu is its comprehensive port infrastructure – POIC Lahad Datu Port with a natural deep-water harbour.
Leveraging on Lahad Datu’s centrality within the East ASEAN region of BIMP-EAGA and the abundant natural resources, POIC Lahad Datu is being promoted to global investors as an eastern gateway to BIMP EAGA and the logistics as well as transhipment hub of the region.
POIC Sabah is firming up negotiations with logistics players in South Korea and China towards developing the logistics needed to open BIMP EAGA to the world.
