AIA Have-A-Heart Fund Reaches Out to Sponsor RM145,000 to 5 Child Heart Patients

Kuala Lumpur, 26 September 2008

The AIA Have-A-Heart Fund (AIA HAHF) today rose to the occasion and donated RM145,000 to five children who needed heart surgery urgently.

At the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, parents of Lau Zi Wei (6-year-old boy), Yong Chia Meng (5-year-old boy), Siti Khadijah (16-month-old girl), Khoo Yu Fan (4-year-old boy) and Thaneswary a/p Viraya (11-year-old girl) were presented with a mock check of RM145,000 by Mr. Khor Hock Seng, American International Assurance Bhd. (AIA Bhd)’s Chief Executive Officer.

Other attendees at the event were Faisal bin Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre; Ramzi Toubassy, AIA Bhd’s Vice President & Assistant General Manager Agency; Chuah Chin Seong, AIA Bhd’s Vice President & Senior Director of Agencies; Mala Patmarajah, AIA Bhd’s Vice President of Corporate Communications; AIA’s Bhd’s Agency Leaders, Jeffrey Kee and Major Leow.

In conjunction with Hari Raya celebration, AIA’s team also distributed ang pows and gifts packs to 30 children at the pediatric ward.

Caring for the less fortunate has always been one of AIA main objectives and in keeping with the Government’s call of being a good corporate citizen. In 1998, the company launched its “AIA Have-A-Heart Fund” for children from low-income families with congenital heart problems. Its purpose was to show that everyone deserves access to quality medical treatment, regardless of financial status. So far, the AIA HAHF has sponsored 122 pediatric heart procedures at a cost of over RM1.8 million.

“Corporate Social Responsibility has always been an integral element in AIA’s corporate initiatives, as we believe that in contributing to the growth of the community, we will make a difference to society and achieve our objective to improve lives,” Mr. Khor said.

Through a pledge to donate RM1 per life insurance policy sold, the Agency Force of AIA Bhd. has raised about RM120,000 for year 2008 towards the company’s charity programme, the AIA HAHF to help needy children undergo open-heart surgery. This year, 8 children were able to undergo heart surgery due to donations from the AIA Have-A-Heart Fund. These children had their operations in Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur, Gleneagles Penang and Institute Jantung Negara.

The money comes from the agents’ initiative to donate RM1 from the commission for every life insurance policy they sell. This initiative is an on-going fundraising project, and additional monies continue to be contributed to the Fund every day. Since the inception of the AIA Have-A-Heart Fund in 1998, the RM1 donation drive has so far successfully raised more than 1.1 million for the Fund.

“The AIA HAHF’s monetary resource has been obtained from many channels both agency and corporate. Collectively, the generous monetary contributions have upheld the good cause of the Fund. AIA Malaysia’s 8,500 strong agency force has been a main resource to the Fund’s community work. The commendable support from the men and women that form the company’s agency force is an effort that deserves much praise. Despite their very busy work schedules, the agency force has maintained their tireless effort to maintain that the AIA HAHF’s mission is achieved,” added Mr Khor.

In 2005, the AIA Have-A-Heart Fund was given tax-exempt status by the Inland Revenue Board. All donations from henceforth will be exempted from tax.