- RM3.5 million raised at the MAF Kuching Gala 2025, including a landmark RM2.25 million commitment from the Sarawak State Government to expand the Teratak Kasih Tok Nan (TKTN) programme to Bintulu.
- TKTN serves as Sarawak’s only community-rooted HIV support hub, offering shelter, mental health support, and outreach services to people living with HIV, particularly from remote and underserved areas.
- The Gala united government, civil society, and corporate donors, including Sunway Group, Yayasan Petronas, and Yayasan Sime Darby, in a shared commitment to ending AIDS in Sarawak and ensuring no one is left behind.
Kuching, 19 July 2025 — In a powerful show of solidarity, government leaders, corporate partners, and civil society came together at the Hilton Kuching today for the Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) Kuching Gala 2025 to demonstrate their shared commitment to ending AIDS in Sarawak. The evening marked a significant milestone in expanding lifesaving HIV services across the state through the continued growth of the Teratak Kasih Tok Nan (TKTN) programme.
A total of RM3.5 million was raised, including a significant RM2.25 million contribution from the Sarawak State Government to support the operations and expansion of the TKTN programme over the next three years. These funds will go directly towards sustaining and expanding the TKTN safehouse and outreach model — first established in Kuching, later replicated in Miri, and now set to reach Bintulu in the coming year.
In his keynote address, the Premier of Sarawak, Yang Amat Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Abang Haji Openg has reaffirmed the State’s leadership in addressing HIV and AIDS.
“I am pleased to announce a special three-year allocation of RM2.25 million from the Sarawak State Government to support Teratak Kasih Tok Nan’s expansion. This is an investment in dignity, in compassion, and in the lives of people who deserve better access to care. By focusing on community-based outreach and targeted care, this initiative reflects the realities of our State — where geography, diversity, and vulnerability call for locally adapted, responsive approaches.”
The speech was delivered on his behalf by Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak.
The Gala was also graced by the presence of Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Hajah Jamilah Anu, Patron of MAF Borneo, whose early support helped establish the first TKTN centre in 2016, and Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Sarawak’s Minister of Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development — both of whom have been steadfast advocates for vulnerable communities.
TKTN, first launched in 2016, is the only facility of its kind in the state — a community-rooted hub that provides temporary shelter, mental health support, treatment navigation, and dignity to people living with HIV, especially those from remote and low-income areas. It also hosts outreach services under the SHAPE and DHSKP programmes, bringing HIV prevention, testing, and treatment to those most in need.
Dr Raja Iskandar Shah Raja Azwa, Trustee of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation, expressed deep appreciation for the collective generosity shown at the Gala:
“What we’ve witnessed tonight is more than generosity—it’s a reaffirmation of our shared resolve to ensure no one is left behind. Each act of giving is a promise of hope, dignity, and access to care for those who need it most, especially in places like Bintulu where services are still too far out of reach. The journey of Teratak Kasih Tok Nan shows that when civil society, government, and corporate partners come together, lasting change becomes possible.” said Dr. Raja Iskandar.
The Gala also honoured longstanding partners including the Sunway Group, Yayasan Petronas, Yayasan Sime Darby and other corporate and philanthropic donors who have played a crucial role in sustaining HIV-related programmes in Sarawak.
Dr. Iskandar also expressed deep appreciation to donors, including Yayasan TM, PETRONAS LNG, Pekat Group, Affin Bank, Bintulu Port, TAS Offshore, Berjaya Corporation, Timberland Medical Centre, Ibraco Berhad, and others whose support made the evening’s fundraising success possible
Guests included representatives from the Ministry of Health, corporate sponsors, and international delegates from ASEAN Member States, who were in Kuching for the ASEAN Regional Dialogue on HIV/AIDS. As Sarawak continues to chart a bold path toward ending AIDS, the expansion of Teratak Kasih Tok Nan to Bintulu marks a significant step forward — bringing care closer to home for many and ensuring that no one is left behind.