Prihatin Kasih programme gets positive feedback

PETALING JAYA: The pioneer Prihatin Kasih cashless food aid programme started by the government earlier this month has seen positive feedback from recipients.

The Finance Ministry said Phase 1 of the plan took off on July 1 for the urban poor and vulnerable groups in the Klang Valley while Phase 2 would cover those in Kelantan, Johor, Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Melaka and Terengganu next month.

“Those in Negri Sembilan, Labuan, Pahang, Putrajaya, Sabah and Sarawak will get their cashless food aid between September and October,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The scheme was initially announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin under the Pemerkasa stimulus package in March, aimed at helping with the cost of living for the poor.

The initiative provides an allocation of RM100mil in cashless food aid to 300,000 urban poor households nationwide.

Recipients need not apply, as families that have been identified through the Welfare Department’s database and the e-Kasih database and have been verified against the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat data are eligible to receive the food aid.

MyKasih Foundation has been appointed by the government to implement the initiative that runs on the unique technology of the MyKad to distribute aid in a targeted, efficient and secure manner.

From July 1, it said Prihatin Kasih beneficiaries would receive RM100 a month for a period of three months, credited directly into their MyKad account, which can then be used to purchase essential food items at the nearest participating retail outlet within their neighbourhood.

“The programme currently has over 300 retail partners nationwide, including Mydin, Giant, Econsave, The Store, Pacific, Milimewa, 99 Speedmart, Lotus’ Stores (Tesco) as well as independent supermarkets and mini marts.

“Recipients may use the aid to purchase basic necessities such as canned food, milk powder, rice, eggs, cooking oil and others,” it said.

It noted that eligible recipients would receive an SMS from MyKasih informing them of their confirmed status as a recipient under the plan, as well as the date and time for the orientation briefing session at the nearest participating retail outlet.

The scheme is in addition to the RM50mil allocation for food basket announced in the Permai aid package, followed by the recent Pemulih aid package, where another RM80mil was allocated to extend the food basket initiative, it added.

For more information on Prihatin Kasih, log on to www.mykasih.com.my/site/prihatin-kasih.