ATTENTION: EDITORS
In commemoration of Aidiladha, the U.S. State Department honors Malaysian Muslim volunteer Mohamed Ariq Mokhti, who embodies the universal values of service, selflessness, and compassion in service to bettering the lives of others.
Mohamed Ariq participated in a virtual event with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Under Secretary Uzra Zeya along with 11 other Muslim frontline workers from around the world on August 3, 2021.During the event, the Secretary emphasized that their selfless efforts to ensure the public good during a time of terrible loss and suffering was a clear and vibrant manifestation of the recent Eid al-Adha holiday spirit.
Mohamed Ariq, a 2019 YSEALI (Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative) Professional Fellow alumnus and the founder of Persatuan Kebajikan dan Pendidikan Kuala Lumpur, is doing his part to flatten the curve in his local community. During the pandemic, he has raised funds to sew personal protective equipment (PPE) gowns. These gowns have been distributed to local hospitals, based on the severity and number of their COVID-19 cases.
The money Mohamed Ariq raised is also supporting mini projects, such as setting up mobile screening stations at Tanjong Karang Hospital Selangor, which serves 40,000 people in the area; assisting the Pekan Hospital Pahang to organize a Psychology First Aid Unit to serve and support patients and family members suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder; and providing groceries, such as rice, poultry, cooking oils, eggs, and sugar to B40 families.
“It was an honor to be invited to Secretary Blinken’s Eid al-Adha event. It was a distinction and an opportunity to meet fellow front liners from around the world who have been working continuously to help their communities during this unprecedented time. There is a saying in Bahasa Malaysia which says “Seliang bagai tebu, serumpun bagai serai” or “together we are strong, divided we fall” that could be related to the current pandemic context. Secretary Antony Blinken has shown tremendous support via the U.S. State Department in solidarity with Malaysia to combat Covid-19 by providing medical aid to Malaysia. One person’s health depends on everyone’s health and action,” he said.
Mohamed Ariq has set an example for all of us to follow, and we are grateful to him for his tireless service to others.
Read the summary of Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Muslim Frontline Workers on the Occasion of Eid al-Adha event here.
Watch the video of Mohamed Ariq sharing his “Big Idea” in helping single moms find jobs and learn skills when interviewed by the U.S. Mission to ASEAN.