Origin of Crisis Relief Squad of MCA (CRSM)

Click here to go to CRSM website

The Asian Tsunami which occurred on 26th December, 2004 struck home the need for a crisis relief squad within MCA. MCA President, Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Ting appointed Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun to establish the Crisis Relief Squad of MCA. It was envisaged as a systematic and professional approach to present a fresh look and feel to MCA’s way of carrying out community service.

What is CRSM?

United Nations: “ Organized, with objective, adaptive to environments changes” community work. Volunteers participate out of individual interest to contribute and not in its monetary rewards.

US National Association of Social Workers: “a group of people determined on community benefits, based on freewill and individual choice as the foundation, call themselves a voluntary organization and the members who serve there – volunteers”.

Taiwan “lo juk” association: Volunteerism is described as volunteer service and action oriented. A volunteer’s contribution, service and commitment are towards individual contribution, not its it name or fame, in an individual’s free time or leisure time he/she work without monetary reward to provide a service. Very often, the volunteer also contributes monetarily, takes up responsibility to achieve a cause, without consideration for time to be taken to complete such tasks nor the prize he/she may have to forego, he/she endeavours to overcome difficulties to complete a mission, and they feel happy about it.

Why volunteerism is not free service work?

Because we are service oriented, and we commit to long-term voluntary service. It is not any ordinary casual free service provision.

CRSM Logo

Crisis Relief Squad of MCA

Objective:
To fulfill MCA’s spirit of serving the nation and people 

Mission:
To provide timely, appropriate relief and assistance

Way of Service:
To provide relevant manpower, material, medical, counseling and legal support by setting up a crisis response team for immediate crisis intervention in emergency or disaster

Scope of Voluntary Services

1. Crisis Relief
National and overseas disaster relief (includes natural disaster which leads to loss of lives and material possession that threaten the victims welfare both in materially and psychologically) and provide timely, appropriate relief and assistance

2. Social Service
CRSM is a set-up to professionally and systematically enhance MCA’s social work together build a caring and loving society that offers help to those in need

3. Volunteer Training  
Take initiatives to plan and design the services and modules needed by the public and provide targeted training schemes for volunteers of different ranks.