Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia (Kuching)

Sister Lai Yi Feng used to visit the old folks’ home and hospital before she joined Tzu Chi. On one of her visits to the old folks’ home in 1996, Sister Lai met Brother Huang Wen De, Sister Shen Xi Chan, Brother Huang Mao Sheng and Brother Yu. Since that meeting, Sister Lai had been receiving the Tzu Chi monthly magazine and Still Thoughts Aphorisms booklet from these Tzu Chi volunteers. Sister Lai, however, did not really pay much attention to these printed materials. But on 7 October 1996, when she visited the Melaka Branch and met up with Brother David Liu, she came to fully understand the beauty and philosophy behind Tzu Chi’s missions. Sister Lai was then appointed as the person-in-charge of Kuching Contact Point.

Realizing the distance between East and West Malaysia, Brother David Liu set up a Contact Point in Kuching with Sister Lai unanimously appointed as the person-in-charge. Upon her return to Kuching, Sister Lai converted the back portion of her company for use as Tzu Chi Contact Point.

The Kuching Contact Point has since embarked on the journey of continuing the missions of Tzu Chi in Kuching. Helping the poor has become the foundation of Tzu Chi’s missions. After obtaining information on two poor families, the Contact Point immediately started their home visits. The membership in Kuching increased tremendously within a year, coupled with increased activities. As such, it was soon realized that the existing Contact Point needed a bigger space. They were extremely fortunate when Sister Peng Yilian decided to lend her shophouse as a new activity centre-cum-administrative office for Kuching Contact Point. In mid-1998, Kuching Contact Point moved to its new premises.

Since then, Kuching Contact Point had progressed by leaps and bounds, and soon the two-storey shophouse was also not big enough to accommodate the large number of volunteers and members. In October 2002, under the supervision of Sister Peng, the shophouse was renovated to a four- storey building, thus enabling for more activities to be conducted. In December 2002, Kuching Contact Point was upgraded to Liaison Office.