Free bags of rice for FT’s poor every week

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today announced the weekly provision of free rice for B40 families in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan beginning today as part of ongoing government initiatives to reduce the burden of those in the low income bracket.

Under this initiative, 5,750 bags of rice will be distributed.

“However, I would like to remind all not to forget the need to follow specific SOPs in the process of distribution, to protect ourselves from Covid-19,” he said in a special address in conjunction with Federal Territory Day tomorrow.

Muhyiddin also launched a new social safety net programme designed to help the urban poor affected by the economic restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 5MY Programme is made up of MYJobs@Wilayah, MYGrocer@Wilayah, MYSchoolBus@Wilayah, MYMedic@Wilayah and MYFood@Wilayah.

He said the initiatives have already benefitted some 35,000 people in 331 low-cost neighbourhoods.

The prime minister also noted that some 400,000 households are now considered below the poverty line as they earn less than RM2,208 in monthly income, based on findings by the National Statistics Department.

The five-pronged approach under the 5MY Programme launched by the federal territories minister focuses on facilitating jobs for the poor, as well as providing groceries at discount prices, travel assistance for schoolchildren through the provision of school buses, free medical services as well as food.

Muhyiddin said the MYJobs@Wilayah initiative has seen 3,259 people in Kuala Lumpur provided with jobs, 28% more than the original target.

Under MYSchoolBus@Wilayah, 9,704 students in 67 low-cost neighbourhoods will get free school bus services involving 94 bus operators.

The grocery assistance, meanwhile, provides daily items at discounts of between 5% and 20% of market price.

“To date, MyGrocer trucks have served 30 of the People’s Housing Projects in Kuala Lumpur,” Muhyiddin said.