HE OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR (PAD) AT SEH TEK TONG CHEAH KONGSI

SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW FOR THE OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR (PAD) AT SEH TEK TONG CHEAH KONGSI

23 October 2020 @ No. 8 Lebuh Armenian

 

YB Yeoh Soon Hin
State Executive Councillor for Tourism & Creative Economy

YB Teh Lai Heng
Assemblyman for Komtar & Political Secretary to the Chief Minister

Mr Alan Cheah Teik Cheng
Chairman of Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi

Dr Ang Ming Chee
General Manager of George Town World Heritage Incorporated

Mr Tan Kok Chye
Chairman of Hokkien Kongsi, Penang

Trustees of Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi

 

Media Friends

 

Ladies & Gentlemen

 

 

Good afternoon to all of you.

Allow me to first congratulate and extend the Penang state government’s appreciation towards Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi for being the first Chinese Clan House in the Heritage Enclave to install what we are officially launching today which is the Public Access Defibrillator (PAD).

Lest we forget, a tragic incident happened last year when a 40-year-old bus driver suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and collapsed near the Kampong Kolam public toilet area. In this incident, the PAD placed at the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) Office was used to revive the victim but unfortunately, he couldn’t be saved.

This incident best illustrates the triviality of a person’s life if we are ill-prepared for an emergency and lacked the necessary skills to save, to provide assistance, or at the very least, to do what we can to increase chances of survival until professional medical help arrives. Hence, installing the Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) at public places is the first step in the right direction but it is also equally important that we are well-trained to use it or to be adequately trained in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Penang was the first state in the country to start the Heart Safe Programme which was one of the health-related initiatives by the state government. The Penang Heart Safe Programme aimed at making Penang a safer state kicked off in 2015 when the first Mass CPR Carnival Event was held at Han Chiang High School and involved the participation of several NGOs.

The very purpose of the Mass CPR programme was to teach members of the public the basics of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the correct methods of using the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine to save a person who suffers Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) while awaiting the arrival of proper medical attention. The first few minutes of a SCA attack is most crucial to save the victim. The need to educate the public of this basic life-saving technique is, therefore, very important and must not be overlooked.

One other aspect which is part of the Penang Heart Safe Programme was the installation of Public Access Defibrillators (PAD) so that members of the public can have access to these machines to help save lives during an emergency. To date, a significant number of PADs have been installed in public places across Penang; in schools, public parks, Penang Hill, government and private buildings but we have to remember that this will never be enough to save lives as long as the majority of us are not trained to use them or lacked CPR skills.

It is the hope of the state government that other clan houses in the vicinity or within the Heritage Enclave can emulate what Cheah Kongsi had done today. By installing the much-needed PDA and conducting sessions from time to time to train your members in CPR skills at your premises, you are serving not only your clan members but the general public and our tourists as well.

With a good and reliable network of PADs and with the addition of adequate CPR skills, our heritage enclave will be a much safer place for everyone.

Thank you.