Toyota long tradition of bringing world-class musicians to Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor conducted the 2018 Toyota Classics performance on 13 November 2018 to raised funds for selected organizations.
The concert which was held at the Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, Kuala Lumpur raised RM363,000 and was divided equally to fund a socio economic program involving Orang Asli community by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) students and a research on renewable energy efficiency by Universiti Malaya (UM) students.
Under the UKM’s “Mobilising Youth for Sustainable Change” initiative, the students involved will help to develop a socio economic program for Orang Asli community at Kampung Kachau Luar (KKL).
According to UKM, they will start developing the Eco Village Resort Project in the second half of 2019 with the use of MCM GreenMan “Off Grid” Modular Building System. They will build the houses using the skills and enthusiasm of both the Orang Asli Youth and UKM staff, students and other volunteers.
Using the state-of-the-art green technologies of MCM GreenMan Modular Building System, the impact to the surrounding jungle would be less due to its minimum requirement for infrastructure.
The management of the resort will be done by the KKL Orang Asli community together with UKM, its partners, students and volunteers. Training and guidance will be provided to the Orang Asli community.
The project aims at enabling the Orang Asli youth to help their own community to be resilient, able to fend for themselves and at the same time create a valuable relationship with the general community. After a certain period of time, UKM will hand over the management to the KKL Orang Asli community.
Another portion of the gross proceeds will fund UM’s Power Energy Dedicated Advance Centre for a research on renewable energy through the innovation of technology for Solar Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T ) Cooling System.
The result of this study will provide sufficient approach to assist the development of future PV/T system with high efficiency at low cost. This research will benefit many people in rural and remote areas especially in East Malaysia so they can have access to constant electricity supply.
Initiated as a unique way to raise funds for the underprivileged, the Toyota Classics has evolved into a much-awaited annual event for the musically discerning, who are delighted to know that their contribution will make a difference to society.
The 2018 Toyota Classics concert featured the resounding performance by the Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment, under the baton of conductor Steven Devine. The Orchestra is a period instrument orchestra named after the age in European history known as The Enlightenment, an era spanning the late seventeenth, eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is one of the world’s leading period instrument orchestras, which aims at recreating the vitality of original performance.
Mr. Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor commented, “We really appreciate the strong support of the Malaysian public, music lovers and UMW Toyota Motor's business associates, which reflects the generosity of private companies and individual Malaysians towards funding projects that would benefit the community.“
“Since its inception, Toyota Classics has collected more than RM 8.6 million in support of 67 organizations. We are really glad to see how the contributions by our donors have made a difference to the lives of the people in the organizations we have supported,” said Mr. Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
“We would like to thank all our contributors who have donated to the Toyota Classics concert last year and hope that the recipients - UKM and UM will be able to materialize their project and provide benefit to the community,” he added.
Toyota Classics is one of UMW Toyota Motor’s main pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility. Over the last two decades, Toyota Classics has developed a life of its own, with performances by different orchestras and beneficiaries. Yet the philosophy behind the Toyota Classics programme remains, which is to allow Malaysians to enjoy an enchanting night of music, at the same time donate to charity.