Puchong, 3 April 2024 – In conjunction with the holy month of Ramadhan, some 20 orphans and asnaf children, alongside approximately 80 media practitioners were treated to a Ramadhan iftar buffet, during a Media Appreciation ‘Buka Puasa’ night hosted by Amanat Lebuhraya Rakyat Berhad (“ALR”) at Glam Hall Damansara, Petaling Jaya.
The objective of the event was to show ALR Group’s appreciation to Malaysia’s media practitioners for their continued support of the Group, and to recognise their critical role in helping to enhance the public’s understanding and awareness of ALR’s unique business model and social value proposition.
During his address, ALR’s Group Chief Executive Officer, En. Sazally bin Saidi, recapped the benefits of ALR’s model where there will be no increase in toll rates until the end of the concessions, thus generating approximately RM800 mil – RM 1 bil in total annual direct savings for motorists and savings in toll compensation payments for the Government. In line with this, he shared that as of 31 March 2023, approximately RM487.6 million in direct savings for motorists and approximately RM467.0 million in toll compensation savings for the Government had been generated from ALR’s innovative structure.
During the event, ALR took the opportunity to invite children from the Darul Sakinah Angkasa Care Centre, Damansara to join in the festivities, where they also received contributions including Eid clothing valued at RM180 and RM50 ‘duit raya’ each to fulfil their needs for the upcoming Eid celebrations. ALR also contributed to the Darul Sakinah Angkasa Care Centre to support their operational journey and alleviate their financial burden.
According to En. Sazally bin Saidi, “Whilst we celebrate and show our appreciation to our media partners tonight, we also felt that it was important for all of us to remember and share our blessings with the less fortunate amongst our community, especially during this holy month of Ramadhan. We hope that it can bring more attention and support to the Darul Sakinah Angkasa Care Centre, and more smiles and joy for the children as we approach Eid this year”.
He added, “This program is part of ALR’s ongoing community investment initiatives and is in line with ALR’s social impact purpose and value proposition. Beyond the savings derived from ALR’s unique not-for-profit business model for motorists and the Government – it is our aim to continue positively impacting the communities in which we operate, through programmes such as this and our Student Food Aid Programme which was just launched yesterday”.
In his closing remarks, Sazally drew everyone’s attention to the importance of road safety, and emphasised, “During this upcoming festive holiday, we urge all highway users to plan their journeys, refrain from travelling during peak hours and ensure sufficient rest when driving long distance. Safety and driving comfort should remain top priorities while on the road.”