He might not be the most popular football team owner in history, but controversial Cardiff boss and Berjaya Group founder Vincent Tan has deemed it fit to be magnanimous on the occasion of his 62nd birthday by donating a staggering RM25.6 million to 90 NGOs.
The mogul made the contribution at yesterday’s 4th Berjaya Founder’s Day celebration at Berjaya Times Square, while urging other Malaysians of wealth to give back to society.
“The wealthy should try to give back to the society half of their earnings. If they cannot afford half, than donate less than that. Even 10% would be sufficient,” he said in his speech at the function graced by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Sultanah of Pahang, Sultanah Hajah Kalsom, and consort of the Sultan of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofia.
The donations will be channeled through the group’s Berjaya Cares Foundation and Tan’s personal trust, the Better Malaysia Foundation.
According to Tan, wealth is a product of the society “and it’s only fair that at least some of it goes back to those who need it.”
He expressed hope that more of the wealthy would be inspired towards philanthrophy and to contribute to causes they believed in.
Vincent said he had been doing acts of charity quietly until his son and Berjaya chairman, Datuk Robin Tan, convinced him that the community should know what he was doing so that others could emulate him.
The younger Tan mentioned in his speech at the celebration that his father and Berjaya have collectively donated a total of RM64 million to date over the course of the annual Founder’s Day celebrations.
“Our founder and my father, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, is very passionate about this, looking beyond social divide, race and religion in his giving,” he said.
Source: The Sun Daily
