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Malay Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Music4Good — An evening with ‘The Polymaths' — Vasanthi Ramachandran
MAY 8 — To be orphaned is a deep and life-altering misfortune, and to live with physical or mental challenges is difficult enough. But when these challenges are met with a lack of support, the impact can be deeply isolating. In a world brimming with voices and visibility, these children remain voiceless, distant from public attention and even farther from opportunity. They need all the help they can get. To be orphaned is a deep and life-altering misfortune, and to live with physical or mental challenges is difficult enough. But when these challenges are met with a lack of support, the impact can be deeply isolating. — Picture via Unsplash/Farhan Abas For nearly 3 decades, Raja Singham, Managing Director and Chief Future Officer of the BAC Education Group, has been an advocate, tireless champion for orphans, people with disabilities, vulnerable and marginalised communities, ensuring they are seen and heard, and their issues addressed Over the weekend, Raja Singham spearheaded Music4Good presenting The Polymaths — a powerful two-day celebration of love, hope and humanity, that successfully raised almost RM210,000 for two very meaningful causes. OrphanAid, a heartfelt nation-building initiative by the BAC Education Group and Uplift and the Society for the Severely Mentally Handicapped (SSMH), and a voluntary welfare organisation that provides specialised care, education, and therapy for children with severe mental and physical disabilities, many of whom require lifelong support. On Saturday, in a striking departure from convention, Music4Good opened with a transparent and meticulous breakdown of how every ringgit was used to fulfil items on the orphanages' wish list. Raja Singham announced how each table's contribution directly supported a specific home — funding everything from basic groceries to essential appliances like fridges, stoves, water heaters, rice cookers, essential groceries. Music4Good was amplified by purpose with the dedicated performers. Sudesh Kumar Nair, the bassist, leads Baycom Malaysia as its CEO. Sundara Raj Ramamurthy, the guitarist, drives digital innovation as Chief Digital Officer at PwC Malaysia and Vietnam. On drums, Siva Ramanathan brought his high-energy presence and leadership as Partner and Chief Growth Officer at Ksher, Azlan Shaharbi commanded the keyboards with the wisdom of three decades of musical experience, and Raja Singham himself, brought his signature energy to the stage as a vocalist and keyboardist. Adding a youthful spark on both days was Singham's daughter Alisha Raja Singham, whose presence reflects how purpose and passion can span generations Percussionist Edwin Nathaniel, Founder of the Aseana Percussion Unit and the RISE programme for children with special needs, also joined the group with heart and meaning, and backup vocalist Lathah, tied it all together with soul and grace. In an age where many chase titles and personal gain, Raja Singham and friends continue to build platforms, initiate movements, and break new ground, sacrificing their time and energy, in service of others. While BAC garnered the Asean Business Awards (Best in CSR) in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, the Asean Business Awards for Combating Covid-19 in 2020, and Raja Singham was named Education Man of the Year by Brand Laureate, it isn't the accolades that drive him — it's the real, measurable impact on people's lives. At the heart of Raja Singham's mission is a bold ambition: to transform 10 million lives by 2030, with a special focus on education. This concert was one of many ways Raja Singham brings his mission to life, by blending what he loves with what truly matters. Sharing the stage with The Polymaths, a band of professionals who channel their personal passions into purposeful action, the night became a powerful testament to what can happen when people come together for something bigger than themselves. As they wrapped up each night with soul-stirring performances, The Polymaths reminded us all that when passion is paired with purpose, music becomes more than just sound — it becomes a movement. For many of us, signing a cheque offers a comforting illusion, we have done our part, fulfilled our duty, and can move on. But real charity doesn't end with a transaction. It begins there. True giving demands engagement, accountability and presence. Yet we often look away — not because we do not care, but because facing the full picture asks more of us. Perhaps, the next time we give, we should stay for the story, ask the hard questions, and ensure our giving reflects not just kindness, but involvement. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
The Star
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
RM5mil in scholarships, loans for 57 students
BAC Education Group founder and managing director S. Raja Singham making a symbolic presentation of scholarships to Surendran. A NON-PROFIT organisation is offering RM5mil worth of scholarships and financial assistance, in partnership with 10 universities and colleges. The partnership, called the HOPE initiative (Harnessing Opportunities for Pathways in Education), will offer 57 financially disadvantaged Malaysian students an opportunity to pursue foundation, diploma and bachelor degree programmes across multiple disciplines. The universities and colleges will offer tuition fee waivers between 50% and 100% to qualified students, while Amma Foundation will provide financial grants or interest-free study loans to finance part of the fees. Universities and colleges participating in Amma Foundation's HOPE Initiative are Asia Pacific University of Innovation and Technology (APU), Brickfields Asia College (BAC), HELP University, IACT College, Mahsa University, Reliance College, Sunway University, Sunway College, University Malaysia of Computer Science & Engineering (UniMy) and Veritas University College. Malaysian students who have completed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)/O-Level or equivalent and the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)/foundation/pre-university programmes may apply for foundation, diploma or bachelor degree programmes in disciplines such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, robotics & automation, psychology, law, business, finance, media and communications, early childhood, hotel management and culinary arts. Sunway University head of scholarship and student life Soo Ee Sarn making a symbolic presentation of scholarships to Surendran. Amma Foundation president Datuk Surendran Menon said, 'The cost of quality tertiary education in Malaysia continues to soar and is often beyond the means of many Malaysians. 'Amma Foundation wants to help increase access by creating various routes and opportunities for financially disadvantaged students to achieve their educational goals. 'To reach a wider target audience, we created the HOPE initiative to provide financial aid to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and support students with academic resources, mentorship and career development opportunities,' he said. A fundraising dinner raised RM500,000 in pledges for Amma Foundation. Many guests also pledged to support this initiative over the next three years. At its next nationwide roadshow, the foundation will identify and shortlist well-deserving Malaysian students from B40 and M40 households. Applicants must be Malaysian citizens below 25 years old with household incomes within the B40 and M40 income ranges. Applicants must show academic excellence and commitment to the pursuit of higher education and demonstrate leadership potential and strong community engagement.
