THE drizzle did not deter Kampung Sungai Limau villagers in Sahom, Tapah from enjoying themselves, singing and dancing, as they huddled under large canopies.

Everyone was in a happy mood and rightly so, as the orang asli village was among the eight other villages in Chenderiang visited by the four blue and white 1Malaysia Community Alliance (1MCA) Foundation vans.

The vans were part of a two-day outreach project last weekend sent out by the foundation to reach the orang asli community and provide vital community services such as free medical check-up.

Village chief, Bah Kantet Bah Hamid, 69, said the villagers were overjoyed with the visit by the foundation, as this was the first time a non-governmental organisation conducted such a programme at their village.

“A free medical check-up may seem like a simple thing to the public, but for our community it is a vital service to keep our health in check.

“Although the Kampar Hospital is only a 15-minute drive away, many villagers do not go for a regular check-up due to work commitments or lack of funds for petrol,” he said.

The free medical check-up included a glucose test, body mass index readings and blood pressure tests while the children were given de-worming medicine.

Apart from that, nurses from the Kinta Dental clinic also taught the children the right way to brush their teeth while 1MCA Foundation workers taught the children creative origami.

The children were also smiling from ear to ear as they received goodies after their drawing and colouring sessions.

Other villages visited were Kampung Sungai Bindu, Kampung Sungai Lah, Kampung Sungai Genting, Kampung Sungai Cincin, Kampung Sungai Pos Dipang, Kampung Sungai Peria and Kampung Batu 7.

Needy villagers also received food items such as a packet of rice and vermicelli.

Kampung Sungai Peria deputy village chief Bah Wel Alanjawa, 49, said the village was very blessed to be part of the project as it showed that the orang asli community was not sidelined in the country’s development.

“It is a lucky day for our village, especially for the senior citizens who would find it inconvenient to travel to the hospital for their check-up.

“I hope programmes like this could be conducted on a more regular basis,” he said.

Chenderiang assemblyman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon was also present during the two-day event to give various medical advices to the people and listen to their problems.

“Outreach programmes such as this are vital to raise the health awareness of the orang asli community and to detect any early symptoms of diseases.

“During the medical check-up some villagers were found to be suffering from hypertension, diabetes and even morbid obesity, and we encouraged them to seek treatment from hospital,” he said.

Also present at the closing ceremony last Sunday was 1MCA Foundation chief executive officer Loh Seng Kok.