The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) welcomes the decision by the federal government to allocate $10 Million of funding for an aged care facility for the Muslim community in Western Sydney.
Treasurer Chris Bowen announced the funding at Lakemba Mosque on the morning of Eid al-Fitr Thursday, 8th of August. The Liberal party has also pledged to match the funding if they win the election. The Muslim community is in dire need of an Aged Care facility and the LMA will be the first within the Australian Muslim Community to provide such a service for its ageing population.
Under its current leadership, the LMA has heavily campaigned to obtain government support for this project. The LMA has shifted its focus towards establishing new community platforms; it has also extended the scope of its social services to addressing significant gaps such as Out-of-home Foster Care and Aged Care. The LMA hopes funding for such projects will continue to be provided in the future.
The LMA leadership has adopted a long-term strategy of developing and supporting initiatives that will empower the Australian Muslim Community including Crescent Wealth, Australia’s First Islamic Superannuation Fund.
The LMA acknowledges its current President, Samier Dandan for his strong vision and passionate commitment. His dedication to establish vital services and to ensure that the community builds its capacity to better serve its needs has been an inspiration to many. The LMA would also like to thank Mr. Talal Yassine for his key role in obtaining government support for the Aged Care Facility.
The LMA will continue its role as a key Muslim organisation in the Australian landscape, advocating for the community and its needs, and working towards fulfilling its vision “Our Community, Our Future.”
(Editor’s note: If the Muslim Community is able to obtain this amount of grant, why can’t the Philippine Community Council [PCC-NSW], the Australian Philippine Community Organisation [APCO] and the officers of the Filipino Multi-Purpose Centre [MPC] do the same for the Filipino community. There are over 45,000 Filipinos in Western Sydney — a much greater number than the Muslims. According to Filipino senior journalist Jaime Pimentel, MPC already owns a 5.5 acre land in Schofields. The property only needs funding to erect a building that may very well include an aged care facility.
The Filipino aged care facility can be efficiently managed by the Philippine Health Care Association of Australia currently headed by Ms Ella Magallanes Martirez. There are many fully qualified Filipino nurses who are available for the facility.)