KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 ― Close to 15,000 kind-hearted donors from Malaysia and other countries raised a whopping RM1.2 million to save a premature Malaysian baby born in Singapore.

The feat was achieved within 29 hours after the One Hope Charity & Welfare launched a fundraising exercise on Sunday to aid the child’s hefty medical expenses.

Malaysian couple Ang Theam Seah and Koh Pei Ying, who work in Singapore had planned to deliver their first child in Sungai Petani In Kedah, but the mother’s sudden abdominal pain totally changed their plan.

After experiencing stomach pain for three days, Koh unexpectedly gave birth to a 24-week-old premature baby, named Eloise Ang Xuan Rui on February 22 after she went to the hospital for a medical check-up.

The premature toddler has since been under observation in the hospital’s incubator.

Penang-based non-profit organisation’s founder and chairman Chua Sui Hau told Malay Mail that the RM1.2 million target was achieved yesterday and they were in the midst of transferring the much-needed sum to the hospital in Singapore.

One Hope Charity & Welfare founder and chairman Chua Sui Hau shows the progress of the baby’s condition on Day 1 and 2 after she was prematurely born. — Picture courtesy of One Hope Charity & Welfare

"We will liaise directly with the hospital to make payment and ensure the child receives the necessary treatment.”

Because the infant was born at only 24 weeks of gestational age, Chua said many of her organs have not fully developed and it was very difficult for the hospital to transfer her to Malaysia.

"The parents were advised that the baby needs to be incubated in Singapore for at least 160 days, making the medical cost unbearable to the parents.”

The micro preemie baby was born weighing only 670g with a body the size of a human palm.

Chua said the parents were informed by the hospital that the medical fee was estimated at around S$400,000 (RM1.22 million) and turned to One Hope Charity & Welfare for help as they could only bear about RM50,000 of the medical expenses.

Chua said he was glad to see many kind-hearted people from Malaysia and overseas chipping in to save the baby.

"It was the people who did it.

"I want to thank those who contributed to the fund and helped us cover the medical expenses for the baby.”

Chua said the reason they managed to raise a considerably big amount swiftly was the utilisation of their new website and mobile application which was sponsored by one of their technology partners.

"We are now able to send a notification to about 15,000 of our active members when there’s a fundraising initiative and the app has made the donation very transparent for the public to track their contributions.”

Launched in 2002, One Hope Charity & Welfare has been assisting the underprivileged families of all races to seek medical treatment and improve their quality of life.

Last year, the charity organisation contributed RM3.6 million to help the frontliners and offer personal protective equipment, face mask and other medical equipment to hospitals fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

One hope foundation contributes face mask to the frontline police officers. — Picture courtesy of One Hope Charity & Welfare

Chua said they started 2021 by distributing packs of essential goods worth over RM300 each to over 4,000 families in Penang.

"We have also distributed 400 electronic tablets to needy students to help them with their online classes.”