KUCHING: The Lions Club of Kuching–Kota Samarahan (LCKKS) and support teams from District 308-A2 and across the country, together with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Sarawak Hearing & Aural-Rehabilitation Society (Sarawak HEAR), has planned to launch a fundraising campaign to support the upcoming Pre-School Hearing Screening Project, which aims to promote early hearing detection among young children.

According to a statement, this meaningful project is also supported by the Lions Club of Kota Bharu Centennial (LCKBC) from District 308-B1 in West Malaysia, aligning with the Ministry of Health’s focus on improving hearing health awareness.

“The first phase of this community initiative aims to provide free hearing screening for 600 pre-school children.

“Early identification of hearing loss enables children to receive timely intervention, preventing long-term impacts on speech, learning, and communication development,” it said.

A Fundamental Hearing Awareness Health Talk was also held under the leadership of President LCKKS, Richard Yeo Khim Chuan, featuring Professor Dr. Tang Ing Ping from UNIMAS as guest speaker.

The talk was attended by various Lions Club members across Kuching and Samarahan, reflecting strong community support for hearing health awareness.

To sustain and expand the project in long-run, the organising team aims to raise RM30,000 to cover the necessary awareness campaigns, operational costs, and the purchase of an OAE (Otoacoustic Emissions) hearing test machine, worth around RM20,000, to improve screening efficiency and outreach.

Professor Dr. Tang stressed that early hearing screening is one of the most effective ways to support a child’s healthy development.

“With timely detection, many children can receive the help they need before their hearing issues affect learning and communication,” he said.

Meanwhile, Richard Yeo expressed heartfelt appreciation to all partners and supporters, saying that this fundraising campaign represents our full commitment to serve the community, especially towards our young generation - future potential successors.

“We welcome everyone, individuals and corporations alike, to join us in building a future where every child can hear clearly and grow confidently,” he said. -UKASnews