RM1.07b gift to Makna

NST: It almost seems too good to be true.
Here was Datuk Mohd Farid Ariffin jogging on Friday morning, probably thinking about the substantial shortfall needed for a new cancer hospital, when he received a call about an interested donor.
He paid the potential benefactor a visit and came away stunned.
Dr Elie Youssef Najm told the president of the National Cancer Council that he wanted to make a donation of US$275 million. That’s right, US$275 million or RM1.07 billion.
Enough money to build several stadia around the country or to fund the construction of the undersea cables from Malacca to Sumatra.
The businessman said that he was worth US$46 billion. By comparison, Microsoft’s Bill Gates is worth US$60 billion and Warren Buffet is said to be worth US$25.6 billion.
The council president said: "We have done due diligence to ensure that the money is not "dirty money". Elie has ensured us that the money is "clean".
At a Press conference today, Elie said that he was donating the money to the council so that a cancer research centre and hospital can be built here.
He said he was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, and having settled down in Malaysia, now wished to do his part for cancer patients here.
"I think it is important for us to help cancer patients, especially children. My own daughter died of leukaemia, and now I am suffering from cancer as well. I know what cancer patients have to go through."
His wife of six months, Farinnie Mohd Farid, 19, was with him at the Press conference.
He said the Farinnie Elie and Makna Children’s Cancer Treatment and Research Centre would have 365 beds for children, and 100 beds for adults.
According to plans, US$200 million would be spent on the building and facilities, while US$50 million for the cost of running the facility. Another US$25 million would be spent on procuring the land for the centre in the Ampang area.
"I know there will be a lot of questions about the source of the money. Let me tell you that it is not illegal money. Not from drugs, arms, gambling, alcohol or tobacco. I’m a very religious person," he said.
Elie, 45, said that he was from a wealthy family of doctors in Lebanon and had controlling interests in banking, construction, telecommunications, software, and oil and gas industries in Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, Dubai, Qatar and Malaysia.
Elie said he wanted to set up a programme to fulfil the last wishes of children who are terminally ill with cancer. Under the scheme, a committee will select one child every month and would try to fulfil the child’s last wish.
Council officials said they were taken aback by the extremely generous offer.
"We were rendered speechless," said the council’s general manager, Farahida Mohd Farid.