MALAYSIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY (MRCS)

Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) has its beginnings in 1948 as branches of the British Red Cross Society in Sabah and Sarawak (then British North Borneo). In the 1950s the British Red Cross Society further established Branches in the other parts of Malaysia starting in Penang in 1950, and later in the other States.

Upon Malaya’s independence in 1957, the Branches in Peninsular Malaya were organized as the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society, which later was statutorily incorporated by the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act, 1962. MRCS received official recognition as an independent National Society from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on 4th July 1963 and accordingly was admitted as a member of the International League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on 24th August 1963.

When Malaysia was formed in September 1963, An Act to incorporate the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the Branches of the Red Cross Society in Sabah and Sarawak under the name of the “Malaysian Red Cross Society” was endorsed by Parliament vide the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1965. In 1975, the Malaysian Parliament passed the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Change of Name) Act which received Royal Assent on 21st August 1975 and subsequently gazetted on 4th Sept 1975 and is currently being enforced. 

MRCS is presently one of 192 National Societies worldwide which are members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). MRCS runs programmes and activities in accordance to the spirit and requirement of its Incorporation Act and the Fundamental Principles of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Today the organization of MRCS comprises the National Council, the National Executive Board, the Chapsters, the Branches and the Subsidiary Units, namely Red Crescent Juniors in primary schools, Red Crescent cadet in secondary schools and Voluntary Aid Detachments (for members above 18 years old).

MALAYSIAN RED CRESCENT SARAWAK CHAPTER 

During the second world war, no Red Cross parcels were delivered to prisoners in the hands of the Japanese.  The excuse was that there were no Branches of the British Red Cross Society in the Far East.

In 1947, the British Red Cross in London approached the Government of Sarawak and other Far Eastern colonies as they were then and in December 1947, a public meeting was called by Mr. Christopher Dawson, who was O.A.G. then, held at St. Mary’s School Hall in Kuching to discover the wishes of the people. After the discussion, it was unanimously decided that theSarawak Branch of the British Red Cross Society to be formed. Mrs. Phyllis Kennedy was asked to be its first colony President and she accepted this honour very gratefully. Dr. John Claphan was nominated as the Director and Mr. H.M. Cockle as the Treasurer.  

A committee was formed and its first task was to prepare a Constitution, which then was accepted by the Red Cross in London. Fund was provided by Headquarters to buy an ambulance. Members of all sections of the community in Kuching joined and the first group was formed, meeting once a week in the Union Club. They rolled bandages, made Khaki shorts for the home for the poor at the Serian Road. They worked together to raise funds, taught handicrafts to some of the patients in the mental block, and T.B. ward of the hospital as well as visited the Leper settlement every week.

In 1949, Miss Richardson Jones, an officer from the Red Cross in Britain was seconded toKuching for two years to help with the setup in Miri, Sibu and the outstations and one with 90 members under the leadership of Mrs. Ong Chin Khoy at the Leper Settlement. This group did wonderful job among their fellow patients.

In 1952, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, visited Sarawak and was very interested and impressed by the work performed by the Red Cross in Sarawak and by the smartness of the Detachments. Junior link units in schools started in the same year as well.

By 195, the Kuching Division of the Red Cross had outgrown the Union Club and the decision to build its own Headquarters for the Branch was taken by the Branch Committee. The Sarawak Government was approached for a plot of land which they gave and a lottery was promoted throughout Sarawak to raise the funds required. With Mr. William Tan’s expertise and generosity, the Countess of Limerick, who was visiting Red Cross Branches in the Far East, laid the foundation stone in 1953 and the building was completed that year. Having a Headquarters in the Capital made everyone feel that they belonged to the same organisation, that they were a whole and not isolated units and this was the forerunner of theSarawak Red Cross of today.

Today, Malaysian Red Crescent Sarawak Chapter was one of the 16 MRC branches in the entire Malaysia. With its secretariat office located at Jalan P. Ramlee, MRC Sarawak Chapter is now operating across Sarawak with 13 branches, serving the people in the Land of Hornbill.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

INTRODUCTION

The Fundamental Principles express the values and practices of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. They have served as both a guide for action and a common identity for our Movement for over 50 years, and are written in the Statutes of the Movement.

MRC SARAWAK CHAPTER

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