GEORGETOWN, Aug 24 – Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was the latest Malaysian to take up the ice bucket challenge today to help create awareness of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Lim’s wife Betty Chew poured the freezing cold water on him, after he launched the ‘Let’s Walk, Run and Zumba for Charity 2014’ at the weekly Occupy Beach Street event at Lebuh Pantai in Penang this morning.

The crowd of over 100 people cheered as they witnessed and filmed their chief minister drenched in cold water. Lim said taking part in global charities like the ALS Foundation was important because Penang was also a member of the international community. “We are willing to participate in events where everyone can help make a difference. “This also shows that we do not back out when challenged,” he said moments before Chew poured the water over his head. Asked how he felt after the cold and wet challenge, Lim said he felt very cold mom ents after the water hit him.”I felt very cold. You all should try it.

The sudden freezing feeling was like an electric shock. It makes you feel alert and alive,” he told the media. Lim added that he thought his wife was the happiest person this morning because she got the chance to drench him with iced water. Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general and Bagan MP, was challenged to the act last week by K.K. Wong, a radio deejay of the local Chinese station 988. Wong was present at the event today. The celebrity deejay also poured iced water on himself. “I challenged Lim when I thought it would also be good if politicians took part in charity events and helped raise awareness for the causes championed by charities too,” he said.

After learning what the Ice Bucket Challenge was about last week, Lim told reporters that he would do it. He also donated US$100 (RM317.37) to the ALS Foundation last week to support the cause, and dared China Press chief editor Teoh Yang Khoon and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to take part in the challenge. Both Teoh and Nazri took up the challenge last week. A group of seven from Quads Function Training also dumped iced water on themselves after Lim. The fitness enthusiasts are also raising money for the ALS Foundation until Merdeka Day and have collected some RM1,500 so far.

 
 

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