"Lumina 919" Illuminates a New Chapter in Philanthropy

World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation Officially Launched, Advancing Public Welfare Traceability, Development Funds and International Collaboration on Disability Skills

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation (WPWAF) officially launched with its inaugural gala, "Lumina 919 – Where Light Begins," held recently at the HGH Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The event brought together distinguished guests and representatives from the fields of philanthropy, education, law, business and the wider community to witness the Foundation's official commencement and explore new possibilities for international cooperation in public welfare.

Among the distinguished guests in attendance were the Foundation's Permanent Honorary Advisor Tan Sri Tan Koon Swan (PSM, JP), Chief Advisor Mr. Johnson Wee Peng Lam, Malaysian philanthropist Datin Paduka Datuk Khatijah Sulaiman, Honorary Advisor Dr. Billy Tang Chee Seng, Dato' Professor Dr. Doraisamy, Datuk Seri Dr. Robert Lim, Prof Dr Ng Po Kok, and other distinguished guests.

The gala was also supported by the International Alliance of Chinese Cheongsam Associations, which brought together 30 cheongsam artists from China to present a special cultural performance during the evening.

With "Lumina 919 – Where Light Begins" as its central theme, the inaugural gala symbolized the belief that every act of kindness, no matter how small, can become a greater force for social change when individual efforts are connected and sustained.

Building a Public Welfare Traceability System — Giving Every Act of Kindness a Clear Path

Introducing the Foundation's vision and future development direction, WPWAF President Mr. Rich Voon emphasized that modern philanthropy requires not only compassion, but also transparency, professionalism, sustainability and accountability.

He said the Foundation is currently developing a Public Welfare Traceability System, which aims to use technology to establish a more transparent mechanism for managing and tracking public welfare resources.

The system is intended to enable donors to better understand the flow and utilization of their contributions, including monetary donations, material donations and other forms of resources. From the point at which resources enter a public welfare project to their eventual implementation and utilization, the system is designed to establish a comprehensive record and traceability process.

"We want every act of kindness to be seen, recorded and traceable. Philanthropy should not end at the moment a donation is made. It should ensure that goodwill truly reaches those who need it and creates lasting social value."

Rich Voon said the Foundation hopes the system will further promote transparency in public welfare, effective resource allocation and public trust, while providing donors, organizations, businesses and members of the community with a more systematic framework for participating in philanthropic initiatives.

Establishing Development Funds to Address Social, Environmental and Humanitarian Challenges

In addition to advancing digitalization and transparency in public welfare, the World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation plans to establish various development funds and specialized funds focusing on social, environmental, humanitarian, educational, healthcare, vulnerable-community and other long-term social issues.

Rich Voon said the Foundation's approach to philanthropy is not limited to addressing immediate needs. Instead, it seeks to examine the underlying causes of social challenges and explore long-term solutions through research, education, cross-sector collaboration and resource integration.

"We hope to move from one-time assistance to sustainable change, connecting individuals, businesses, social organizations and resources across different sectors so that acts of kindness can create a much greater impact."

Through this approach, the Foundation aims to develop initiatives that can generate sustainable and measurable social value while encouraging broader participation from different sectors of society.

Johnson Wee: Public Welfare Requires the Collective Power of People and Resources

In his address, WPWAF Chief Advisor Mr. Johnson Wee emphasized that advancing public welfare is not a simple undertaking. It requires long-term commitment as well as the collective participation of society.

He noted that public welfare cannot depend solely on the efforts of a small number of individuals. Greater impact can only be achieved by bringing together people, resources, expertise and support from different sectors to ensure that philanthropic initiatives can be sustained and reach more communities.

Johnson Wee also congratulated the World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation on its establishment and expressed his hope that the Foundation would continue to bring together diverse sectors and contribute to international public welfare cooperation, social development and humanitarian initiatives.

Strategic Partnership with Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation to Advance International Disability Skills Competition

During the inaugural gala, witnessed by distinguished guests and representatives from various sectors, the World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation and the Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation (MCR) formally signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement.

Under the partnership, both organizations will explore cooperation in areas including disability development, vocational skills training  social inclusion and international exchange  with plans to jointly promote 11th International Abilympics; Road To Finland 2027 as well as upcoming years of International Abilympics Competition.

The initiative aims to provide persons with disabilities with opportunities to demonstrate their professional skills, strengthen their vocational capabilities and participate in international exchange; providing immediate avenue of employment opportunities as well as entrepreneurship development.

The partnership also reflects another key principle of the World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation — moving from "assistance" to "empowerment."

Through vocational skills development, capacity building and international exchange, the initiative seeks to support persons with disabilities not only through social assistance, but also by creating opportunities for them to develop their abilities, build confidence and contribute their talents within society and the workplace.

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About World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation  (WPWAF)

The World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation (WPWAF) is an international public welfare platform dedicated to connecting global goodwill and advancing sustainable social development. Guided by its vision, "World Connected by Kindness," the Foundation seeks to connect individuals, businesses, public welfare organizations, educational institutions and communities across sectors, enabling goodwill to transcend geographical, cultural and social boundaries and become a more sustainable and impactful force for positive change.

SOURCE World Public Welfare Alliance Foundation