RM300,000 to step up food aid

Leong hopes the contribution will ease the burden of affected families as well as NGOs.

Mah Sing Foundation (MSF) and Mah Sing Group founder Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum have donated RM300,000 to support the government’s efforts in aiding needy communities.

A large sum will be given to non-profit organisations, including Ops Harapan, Waz Lian Foundation and Hopes Malaysia which MSF has collaborated with for its Sustainable Livelihoods programme in Kota Belud, Sabah.

The foundation will hand out the rest to disadvantaged or underserved beneficiaries from its current programmes in Enggang Flats and the People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Seri Alam and Pudu Ulu, in the form of grocery distributions for about five months starting next month.

In sympathising with those who are in need of help, Leong said one of the biggest consequences of the pandemic was the economic challenges faced by the rakyat.

“It is important that we help one another, especially those who may be most affected.

“I have decided to help fellow Malaysians following the government’s initiative to expand the food basket programme through the National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (Pemulih).

“All these initiatives that MSF and I are supporting provide support to the urban poor, particularly those whose incomes have been impacted by the pandemic, ” he added.

Leong, who is also the property group’s managing director, said the contribution would help ease the burden of these families as well as non-profit organisations as they struggled with low funds in tackling the problem.

“I hope this will continue to create the ripple effect of kindness and encourage more people and corporations to join the cause.

“After all, we should be there for each other, ” he added.

MSF chairman Datuk Syed Norulzaman Syed Kamarulzaman said despite mitigating measures to fight Covid-19, it could not be denied that the socio-economic issues caused by the pandemic continued to impact B40 families.

“They are much more likely to be unemployed and experience worsening food insecurity, which may force them to adopt less healthy diets, thereby magnifying malnutrition issues, ” he added.

Syed Norulzaman said they were trying to provide assistance not only through initiatives like these, but also via the many impactful programmes that MSF was running for the community in the PPRs, such as the Learning Through Individualised Teaching and women entrepreneurship programme.

Founded in 2005, MSF strives to make lasting changes in the lives of the underserved community by forging sustainable strategic collaborations with various stakeholders to make this change a reality.

In 2020 alone, the foundation supported over 35 schools and NGOs, while impacting the lives of more than 160,000 individuals.