By CHOW HOW BAN
Photos by LAI VOON LOONG

DEPUTY Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak did the rare thing at the Red Ribbon Gala 2006 held at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur on Nov 5.

He sang two songs, Rindu Hatiku Rindu and Save the Last Dance for Me, and his deed earned RM60,000 from a bidder at a charity auction held in conjunction with the event.

The money would go to the Malaysian Aids Foundation for its continuous effort to help people living with HIV/AIDS and their families in the aspects of medication and business assistance schemes.

Jubaidah (right) receiving the Dr Siti Hasmah Award from Tun Dr Siti Hasmah herself.
For his beautiful rendition of the songs, Najib won thunderous applause from the audience and guests comprising corporate figures and leaders of non-governmental organisation leaders.

Najib was accompanied by his wife Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor on stage when performing the songs.

Rosmah also performed two songs, Kau Pergi Jua and Love Will Keep Us Together, which helped the foundation to raise another RM30,000 from a bid.

Earlier at the event, nurse Jubaidah Bee Nagoor Pitchay received the Dr Siti Hasmah Award from Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, wife of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Moahamad, for her outstanding contribution and long-term commitment in addressing HIV/AIDS in Malaysia.

Rosmah Mohd Dain of Utusan Malaysia, Shamini Darshni of the New Straits Times, Hoo Sue Ling of Nanyang Siang Pau, Dina Zaman and Nur Yasmin Hashim of Health & Beauty won the newspaper, magazine and website blog categories of the DaimlerChrysler Red Ribbon Media Awards for their exemplary work in educating the public on the issue of HIV/AIDS.

Najib and Rosmah took turns to sing two songs each at the Red Ribbon Gala.
New Tide magazine and Zeel Production Sdn Bhd walked away with the awards in the Chinese magazine and TV drama categories respectively.

The Red Ribbon Media Award winners will be on their way to a 10-day South African field trip sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Malaysia, the wholesale distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the country.

In his speech, Najib said from only three HIV-positive cases in 1986, today it was estimated that more than 70,000 Malaysians had been infected, resulting in more than 8,000 deaths.

According to the Health Ministry’s statistics, as of June this year, the total of HIV cases are 73,427 with transmission through injection drug users (IDU) being the highest (54,090) while the total of AIDS cases stand at 11,413 with IDU being the highest as well (6,588).

“It is sad that controlling the HIV epidemic is the only Millennium Development Goal that we have yet to achieve.

Siti Nurhaliza (with bouquet left) and designer Bernard Chandran with the night’s fashion show models acknowledging the audience after the fashion show.
“Despite these disturbing statistics, HIV/AIDS in Malaysia remains unseen and hidden. It is still a subject many of us prefer not to even contemplate let alone confront,” he said.

He said in the 9th Malaysia Plan the Government had committed resources towards greater efforts in controlling the epidemic and it would continue to ensure the battle against the epidemic remain a serious priority.

“We require all sectors of society to rally together to reverse the spread of HIV and contain the impact of AIDS in our society.

“I understand DaimlerChrysler had an estimated 9% of its workforce in its African operations infected with HIV/AIDS in 2001.

“It was the subsequent implementation of a workplace programme on HIV/AIDS by the company that led to a significant reduction in the number of deaths of their employees and prevented many children from being born with HIV,” he said.

Honegg (right) and his predecessor Datuk Frank Steinleitner posing in front of a Mercedes-Benz R350L that was auctioned off at the Red Ribbon Gala 2006.
He urged all corporate leaders to take up the HIV/AIDS issue as a leading cause in their corporate responsibility agenda.

Foundation chairman Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman thanked the sponsors and guests for their continuous contribution and support for the cause.

The event also saw a fashion show that featured designer Datuk Bernard Chandran’s creations.

The models who took the catwalk included Datin Mastisa Mohamad, Datin Norsieta Zakaria, Puan Sharmaine Farouk, Datin Lisa Teoh, Tengku Asra Tengku Azlan, Puan Shivaanya Tirathai and Datuk Siti Nurhaliza.

Also present at the event were Dr Mahathir, Red Ribbon Gala organising chairman Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, DaimlerChrysler Malaysia Sdn Bhd president and chief executive officer Peter Honegg, Chopard Geneva executive director Rolf Knuschel, Malaysia Tatler managing director Florence Fang and Mandarin Oriental general manager Jonas Schuermann.