HISTORY OF RED CRESENT

The Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) (Malay: Bulan Sabit Merah Malaysia) is a voluntary humanitarian organisation that seeks to promote humanitarian values, as well as provide service and public education in disaster management, and health and care in the community. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Organised in 15 branches and 94 chapters nationwide, the Malaysian Red Crescent is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Red Crescent also has a very active presence among youths and young adults through a well organised network of youth and adult volunteer units in schools and institutions of higher learning.

The Malaysian Red Crescent has its beginnings in 1948 as branches of the British Red Cross Society in the former British North Borneo (now the Malaysian state of Sabah) and Sarawak. In 1950, the British Red Cross Society established the first branch in Penang in the Federation of Malaya from which it rapidly expanded its presence in the other states.

Upon the independence of the Federation of Malaya on August 31, 1957, the branches in Malaya were reorganized as the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the society was officially incorporated by statute with the passing of the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1962 by Parliament. On July 4, 1963, the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society received official recognition as an independent national society by the International Committee of the Red Cross and subsequently admitted as a member of the League of Red Cross Societies on August 24, 1963.

With the formation of the larger federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963, the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act 1965 to incorporate the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society and the branches of the Red Cross Society in Sabah and Sarawak under the name of the Malaysian Red Cross Society was passed by Parliament and gazetted on July 1, 1965. On September 5, 1975, the Malaysian Red Cross Society was renamed the Malaysian Red Crescent Society by the passing of the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Change of Name) Act 1975 by Parliament.