Malaysian AIDS Council was established in 1992 under the Ministry of Health with a mission to represent, mobilise and strengthen non-governmental organisations and communities who were working with HIV/AIDS issues. The Malaysian AIDS Council began with an umbrella of 18 NGOs who were directly working on the various aspects of HIV/AIDS issues.
Objectives
MAC complements and supports the government's efforts to maximise the community's response to HIV/AIDS and to maximise the usage of limited resources available. The primary objectives of MAC are to:
Eliminate discrimination, stigma and prejudice associated with HIV/AIDS
Promote and protect the rights of those made vulnerable to HIV/AIDS
Ensure the highest possible quality of life for those with HIV/AIDS
Provide care and support to individuals with HIV/AIDS
Scope of work
MAC works with its partner organisations in a diverse range of activities from advocating and policy reforms; developing awareness and communication materials; creating public awareness campaigns; conducting and organising workshops and seminars; rolling out prevention and education programmes; providing care and support services and psychological counselling.
The Malaysian AIDS Foundation raises money and manages funds to support the activities of the Malaysian AIDS Council and its Partner Organisations. Celebrities have lent their time and faces to generate monies for MAC, and large corporations, both international and local, from Standard Chartered Trust Fund , Mercedes-Benz Malaysia , Hong Leong Bank Bhd , L'Oreal Malaysia , Shell , Levi Strauss Foundation .
Partner Organizations
MAC is led by an Executive Committee comprising ten elected representatives from the Partner Organisations which comprises a diverse range of associations, from the medical industry, religious based communities to the nation's legal institutes. The Partner Organisations that make up MAC are:
AIDS Action and Research Group
Association of Malaysian Medical Assistants
Bar Council
Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
Catholic Welfare Services
Community AIDS Service Penang
DiC Pahang
Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia