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IT began not in a grand hall or boardroom, but in the sterile, dimly lit confines of an anaesthetist’s room at the General Hospital in Johor Baru (now known as Hospital Sultanah Aminah).

IN a world where indifference often greets the desperate knock of the needy, one man’s door has never closed. Known simply as a friend to the forgotten, he has built a life around the word “yes” — yes to help, yes to hope, yes to humanity.

IF the century-old walls of Infant Jesus Convent (IJC) Johor Baru could speak, they would tell a story of humble beginnings, of tears and triumph, and of the generations of girls who have passed through its corridors with dreams in their hearts.

SHE’S a rare presence in the world of caregiving. Her nightly rounds, lamp tightly clasped in hand, have become a symbol of her deep compassion and commitment to the residents under her care.

FOR Dr Gary Ko, life’s purpose is simple yet profound: “I want to see smiles on the faces of the needy and bring light into their homes.” Those words might seem like the humble idealism of a man with a kind heart, but they’re the driving force behind a daily ritual that has transformed the lives of hundreds in Johor Baru.

IN the quiet moments between the pages of history, some chapters are marked not just by events, but also by the lives touched and the hearts warmed.