Habitat For Humanity Malaysia's Affiliate Launches Climb & Build 2006

Visitors to Sabah can volunteer on builds besides scaling Southeast Asia’s highest peak

KOTA KINABALU, 25th April 2006: More than 100 people turned up at the launch of Habitat for Humanity Malaysia’s Climb & Build 2006 program recently.

Striking the right note: Chong Kah Kiat, Sabah’s deputy chief minister, supports for Climb & Build 2006 at the launch of the event in Kota Kinabalu

The inaugural event, launched by the Kota Kinabalu affiliate, is to encourage people to scale new heights in their trips to the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah. From May 2006, individuals or visitors in a group can volunteer with the Kota Kinabalu affiliate to build houses. They have the option of climbing the 4,095 m.(3,421 ft.) Mount Kinabalu before or after the build, or they can just stick to being a Habitat volunteer.

At the launch on 21st April, Sabah’s deputy chief minister Chong Kah Kiat, also the tourism, culture and environment minister, said the state government will provide the necessary assistance to ensure the success of Climb & Build 2006.

“Habitat must have a large pool of volunteers so that they can continue to build more houses for people in need of a roof over their heads,” Mr Chong said. It is also his hope that more Malaysians volunteer with Habitat.

Affiliate president Allen Tong said Climb & Build 2006 demonstrates the partnership of the local government, Habitat, private organizations and individual volunteers.

According to Tong, volunteers from Renaissance Hotels & Resorts Malaysia and the Miri Marriott resort and spa team who built a house near Kota Kinabalu in August 2005 are planning a return trip to join Climb & Build 2006.

The Kota Kinabalu affiliate, set up in 2004, has built two houses to date.