A tragic road accident in 1991 turned into a lifelong mission of saving lives for S.Shanmugam, a 54-year-old lorry driver from Teluk Intan. The incident not only left him with a broken leg but also revealed something extraordinary, he carries one of the rarest bloody types in Malaysia, RH-Negative.
During his recover, Shanmugam learned firsthand how difficult it was to secure Rh-negative blood. His surgery was delayed due to the unavailability of compatible donors. That moment marked the beginning of a new purpose in his life becoming a blood donor to ensure others wouldn’t face the same struggle.
Now, 33 years later, Shanmugam has donated bloody 54 times and holds the distinction of being the largest Rh-negative blood donor at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB). His contributions were formally recognised at the Perak state-level celebration of World Blood Donor Day 2025, held at Slim River Hospital.
“I realised then that I had a responsibility to become a donor. Every drop of bloody could help save a life”, said Shanmugan humbly after receiving his award.
He continues to donate four times a year, knowing how vital Rh-negative blood is. In Malaysia, over 90% of people have Rh-positive blood, making Rh-negative donations especially critical during emergencies and surgeries.
The awards were presented by A.Sivanesan, Perak’s State Executive Councillor for Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration.
Among the other honourees was Beh Zeng Kang, a 29-year-old legal consultant who was named Best Blood Donor for the most common blood type. Beh, who was type 0 Blood, began donating at the age of 17 and has made 51 donations to date.
Sivanesan also reported that Perak collected 64,416 bags of blood in the past year, thanks to collaborative donations campaigns with NGOs, government agencies, and charitable groups.
In terms of racial demographics among donors in the state, Chinese made the largest group donors at 48.32%, Malays at 39.12% and Indians accounted for 11.40%.
The growing demand or blood is a pressuring issue, Perak is projected to require up to 80,000 blood bags annually, highlighting the crucial need for continuous voluntary donations.
In recognition of this effort, 36 loyal donors were awarded special certificates for their consistent contributions, and 15 campaign organisers were also honored for their role in sustaining the state’s blood supply.
As the need for life, saving transfusions continues to grow, stories like Shanmugam’s serve as a powerful reminder of how one individual’s decision to give can help out many lives.
Sources: Bernama
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