So, our Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin took up the #ALSIceBucketChallenge a few days ago. Goes to show that the viral campaign has been so effective, even our ministers are doing it.
Why?
See, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” was started in July by Pete Frates, 29, a former Boston College baseball player who has been battling ALS since 2011 and it has now become a worldwide craze. It’s actually part of a campaign to raise money in fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that attacks the brain and the spinal cord.
One such person who has suffered from the disease for many years now is none other than the world’s most celebrated brilliant physicist, Stephen Hawking.
The campaign requires an individual to dump a bucket of ice water on their head. After which, they’re allowed to challenge 3 more people to do the same within 24 hours. If someone refuses, the penalty is donating USD100 to the ALS Association. The stunt has raised millions for ALS so far!
If you missed Khairy’s video, watch:
And now, one other minister has been nominated to do it too, all the way up north in Penang.
Nominated by 988 radio station DJ K.K. Wong, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is going all in for the Ice Bucket Challenge. Apparently, several reporters had to go to great lengths to explain the challenge to him and how it worked. After which, he said in jest during a press conference at his office:
If it is for charity, I will surely lead by example. I will ask somebody who is not from Pakatan Rakyat to do this. I will ask the Tourism Minister and Yang Khoon to do it with me. But I cannot do it within the next 24 hours. Hopefully, this can be extended. Perhaps, you all can help with the arrangement. I will go through with this challenge during this Sunday’s Occupy Beach Street event at 7:30am.
Not only has he confirmed that he’s game for it, he will accept the challenge while at the same time donate USD100 (RM317) to the ALS Association. He has even named 2 people to do it with him – Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and China Press editor-in-chief Teoh Yang Khoon. He also teased that he will only name the third person after he has completed his challenge.
Ooh. The suspense! We can’t wait to see it, Chief Minister.
UPDATE:
It’s done, peeps! Just as he promised. Watch the video here:
Kudos to you, CM Lim Guan Eng!
Meanwhile, here are some of the best #ALSIceBucketChallenge videos that we’ve seen over the past week:
- The “Heavenly Kings” of the East Andy Lau and Jay Zhou.
- K-Pop idols Super Junior’s Siwon, Donghae, and Eunhyuk.
- The world’s top DJs/producers e.g. Tiesto, Calvin Harris, Nicky Romero, and more.
- Bosses of their league Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft’s Bill Gates.
- Members of the DC and Marvel Cinematics Universe, because they’re cool like that.
- The “Young & Dangerous” members, together again after 14 years for the challenge.
- Our favourite YouTubers being all cute and charming.
- These Korean celebrities who were also bitten by the ice cold bug.
- Anthony Carbajal, the 26-year-old real-life ALS patient who stole our hearts.
Let’s not forget that whether or not you get called out to take on the challenge, you can also make a donation to the ALS Association here. If you want to do your part, you know where to go.
For more information, visit the ALS Association’s official website.
(Source)
