Year: 2023

PUTRAJAYA: Recipients of Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) can start shopping for essential items at 600 participating supermarkets, grocery shops and retail outlets.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the retail outlets involved in the cashless aid for the hardcore poor are Mydin Hypermarket, 99Speedmart, Giant hypermarkets, Lotus, Econsave and others listed in the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah official (STR) website at bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my.

“The recipients only need to show their identification card (MyKad) when purchasing groceries.

“They are also allowed to make transactions at different outlets if the essential items they need are not in stock.

“There is a tracking system based on their MyKad to show how much balance is left. If there is a balance remaining, the amount will be carried forward to the next month,” he said in a press conference after launching the Customs Department’s Handholding, Indirect Tax and Voluntary Disclosure (VDP) programme here on Monday (July 17).

The RM600 aid will be distributed at a rate of RM100 a month from July to December for Peninsular Malaysia recipients; while for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, the aid will be credited in a lump sum to their Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) accounts.

For Peninsular Malaysia residents, the aid will be channelled automatically via MyKad, which will be used to open an account at the selected premises.

On Sunday (July 16), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that more than 210,000 recipients of STR will receive RM600 Sara cash aid to purchase essential items.

Anwar added that the government had allocated RM130mil under the Payung Rahmah initiative to help underprivileged groups who are struggling with the high cost of living.

The aid will be implemented starting Monday for recipients in Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.

Recipients in Johor, Melaka, Perak, Pahang and Perlis are expected to receive the aid from July 31 while Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will receive the aid on Aug 7.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said the Handholding VDP programme under the Customs Department managed to collect a total of RM5.57mil of indirect taxes from June 6 to July 15.

Ahmad, when launching the programme which started on June 1, said the initiative being rolled out the second time was aimed to increase compliance from taxpayers.

“For this year, we are targeting 2,000 applications with the estimation of RM200mil in tax collection under the programme from Customs,” he said in a press conference.

In the Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme (SVDP) held last year, a total of 16,880 applications involving RM700mil were collected proving the initiative was a success.

The initiative from Customs also offered zero penalty fees, no compound fines as well as no audit penalty for voluntary applications from individuals and companies.

More information about the Sara aid implementation can be found at https://www.mykasih.com.my

Sunway XFarms’ one-for-one campaign is targeted towards reducing the gap between food accessibility and improving dietary nutrition for those in need across the Klang Valley.

Sunway XFarms’ one-for-one campaign throughout the month of May saw the agri-tech arm of Sunway Group rally both corporate and individual donors to contribute over 2,400 kilogrammes of Grade A, fresh and pesticide-free produce to more than 3,500 families in need across Klang Valley.

With 30 percent of B40 children suffering from malnutrition due to lack of access to healthy food, according to research by the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, this campaign aimed at reducing the gap between food accessibility and improving dietary nutrition for those at the bottom rung of the socio-economic ladder, where a significant portion of the population have come to rely on food aid programmes run by non-governmental organisations (NGO) due to economic hardship exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

For every salad lettuce bag purchased, Sunway XFarms matched with another bag to gift a family in need. Each corporate partner donated a minimum of 100 bags of fresh, nutritious vegetables per week, which brought the total number of donated vegetables to over 2,400 kilogrammes.

Sunway XFarms also partnered with various NGOs and charitable organisations such as MyKasih and HTBB, as well as participated in distribution events hosted by Puchong Member of Parliament Yeo Bee Yin as well as Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who is also Segambut Member of Parliament, respectively in order to reach out to their respective constituencies.

“Sustainable development goes beyond just efforts to address climate change, but must include advancements in social and economic pillars of society as well. Sunway XFarms encourages other farmers and food manufacturers to set aside a portion of their outputs for the needy, as we have witnessed a significant increase in undernourished people since 2019 due to increased poverty, global conflicts and the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Eleanor Choong, Chief Operating Officer of Sunway XFarms

She added that the company will continue to donate fresh vegetables from time to time.

“Most of the beneficiaries are from B40 groups and refugee schools who do not have access to healthy diets due to financial constraints, time limitations and poor lifestyle habits. We hope that these fresh vegetables we supply will promote healthier diets, starting from a young age.”

Eleanor Choong, Chief Operating Officer of Sunway XFarms

The CSR project by Sunway XFarms saw a joint effort by Sunway Property and Sunway Theme Parks who contributed enough vegetables to feed over 100 families for a month, and also included some of their signature items in the distribution such as cup noodles and instant cooking pastes.

“We are particularly heartened to have partners such as Sunway Property and Sunway Theme Parks who committed to support the donation of fresh produce for the long term.”

Eleanor Choong, Chief Operating Officer of Sunway XFarms

Corporates outside of Sunway also joined in on the giving campaign, with one company sponsoring over 500 loaves of freshly baked bread from May to July, which was used along with the vegetables to make nutritious sandwiches by HTBB to distribute to various refugee schools and communities weekly.

Volunteers gathered in the morning to make over 600 sandwiches.

“Although it seems like a lot of sandwiches, it’s just one meal for them.”

Michael Ho, HTBB’s Head of Food Bank

Those looking to collaborate to donate fresh, nutritious produce to the less fortunate can do so from the Sunway XFarms website or by directly getting in touch at +60 11-5621 6538.

20230619_the_edge

Dalam keterujaan dan kemeriahan kita meraikan hari raya Aidilfitri, janganlah kita lupakan insan yang kurang bernasib baik.Sempena Syawal, Star Media Group (SMG) julung-julung kalinya berkolaborasi bersama Putrajaya Holdings (PjH) tampil menyampaikan sumbangan kepada 200 keluarga kurang berkemampuan bagi meringankan beban mereka sempena Aidilfitri ini.Pada 17 April lalu, seramai 10 keluarga daripada 200 keluarga terpilih untuk menghadiri program penyerahan sumbangan di samping membeli belah barangan keperluan dapur di Econsave KIP Mall, Kota Warisan, Sepang, Selangor.Program itu turut dihadiri oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif PjH, Datuk Hashimah Hashim Ketua Pegawai Perolehan SMG, Lydia Wang.

https://fb.watch/k9xdZlr3MS/

DALAM kemeriahan menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri, jangan kita lupa kepada insan yang kurang bernasib baik.

Di kala ada keluarga yang sibuk bergaya dengan busana baru dan menikmati pelbagai juadah enak, namun ada keluarga yang meraikan hari raya dalam serba kekurangan.

Menyedari situasi ini, Star Media Group (SMG) buat julung-julung kalinya berkolaborasi bersama Putrajaya Holdings (PjH) untuk tampil menyampaikan sumbangan kepada 200 keluarga dari kategori B40 bagi meringankan beban mereka menjelang sambutan Aidilfitri.

Seiring dengan tanggungjawab sosial korporat (CSR) syarikat, 200 keluarga berkenaan, kesemuanya dari Dengkil, Selangor, menerima sumbangan berupa barangan keperluan dapur bernilai RM200 dan juga duit raya.

Penerima sumbangan dicalonkan oleh Yayasan MyKasih, sebuah pertubuhan amal yang ditubuhkan bagi membantu rakyat Malaysia yang kurang berkemampuan melalui bantuan makanan dan pendidikan.

Datuk Hashimah dan Lydia turut membantu penerima membeli belah barangan keperluan dapur.

Seramai 10 keluarga daripada 200 keluarga berkenaan terpilih untuk menghadiri program penyerahan sumbangan di samping membeli belah barangan keperluan dapur di Econsave KIP Mall, Kota Warisan, Sepang pada 17 April lalu.

Jelas terpancar senyuman di wajah para penerima yang hadir ditemani ahli keluarga masing-masing ketika melihat troli pasar raya mereka penuh dengan barangan keperluan dapur.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif PjH, Datuk Hashimah Hashim turut hadir beramah mesra malah sempat membantu keluarga berkenaan membeli belah.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pegawai Perolehan SMG, Lydia Wang berharap sumbangan yang diberikan dapat membawa seribu makna dan menceriakan keluarga berkenaan ketika menyambut lebaran.

Selain barangan dapur, penerima turut menerima sumbangan duit raya yang disampaikan oleh Datuk Hashimah.

“Bersempena dengan Hari Raya, kami bersyukur dapat bekerjasama dengan Putrajaya Holdings untuk membawa keceriaan kepada keluarga yang memerlukan.

“Keperluan asas seperti makanan mungkin menjadi barangan mewah buat sesetengah orang. Kami berharap bantuan ini dapat membantu meringankan beban mereka membuat persiapan perayaan,” ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu, salah seorang penerima sumbangan, Sri Marni Zainal Abidin melahirkan rasa syukur yang tidak terhingga kerana terpilih mendapat bantuan yang sangat dinanti-nantikan apatah lagi menjelang sambutan Aidilfitri.

Kami berharap bantuan ini dapat membantu meringankan beban mereka membuat persiapan perayaan.

LYDIA WANG
_{KETUA PEGAWAI PEROLEHAN SMG}

“Alhamdulillah sangat-sangat, dapat barang dapur untuk dijadikan keperluan raya. Lagipun dah nak dekat (raya) sangat ni, keperluan itu memang sangat perlu.

“Lebih-lebih lagi dengan status saya sebagai ibu tunggal kepada dua cahaya mata dan masih menerima rawatan untuk penyakit fibroid, bantuan ini boleh meringankan beban kami serba sedikit,” ujar wanita berusia 44 tahun ini yang menetap di Kota Warisan, Sepang.

Sri Marni gembira terpilih sebagai salah seorang penerima sumbangan.

Menurut Sri Marni, dia yang ketika ini tidak dapat bekerja dan perlu berehat atas nasihat doktor, hanya bergantung kepada pendapatan anak sulungnya yang bekerja di sebuah taska.

“Anak kedua pula masih menuntut di sebuah kolej di Subang Jaya. Kalau pasal persiapan raya, kami buat sikit-sikit saja. Saya buat sendiri sedikit kuih sementara duduk-duduk di rumah.

“InsyaAllah, saya merancang untuk membuat kuih dan menjual secara dalam talian kelak untuk jana pendapatan sampingan,” ujarnya.

Seorang lagi penerima, Aisyah Rani Francis turut melahirkan rasa gembira dan bersyukur kerana terpilih untuk menerima sumbangan apatah lagi dirinya berstatus ibu tunggal kepada lima cahaya mata.

“Saya terima barangan keperluan asas seperti beras, minyak masak, gula, Milo, telur dan sebagainya. Alhamdulillah, penganjur juga beri sumbangan duit raya. Gembira sangat dapat sumbangan ini lagi-lagi dah nak raya sebab kami belum pun buat persiapan,” ujarnya.

Aisyah yang merupakan seorang ibu tunggal kepada lima cahaya mata bersyukur kerana turut menerima sumbangan.

Wanita berusia 41 tahun dan merupakan seorang mualaf ini berkata, pendapatan bulanannya sebagai seorang tukang cuci di surau kawasan perumahan di Kota Warisan hanya sebanyak RM900, justeru bantuan yang diberikan sememangnya banyak meringankan beban.

“Dalam masa yang sama saya menanggung empat anak yang masih bersekolah. Saya bersyukur sebab MyKasih membantu memberi sumbangan barang dapur. Alhamdulillah.

“Ini adalah tahun kelima saya meraikan Aidilfitri sebagai mualaf. Sejak memeluk Islam, ramai orang sekeliling yang membantu, surau pun ambil berat, pihak zakat juga bagi bantuan. Alhamdulillah,” ujar wanita berasal dari Tambunan, Sabah ini.

SEPANG: For a single mother from Kota Warisan, the assistance from Putrajaya Holdings was warmly welcomed as she prepared for Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year.

Sri Marni Zainal Abidin, 44, was diagnosed with fibroids that stopped her from being able to do heavy work.

“I was hospitalised and I was advised not to do heavy work, since then I’ve been staying at home,” she said after receiving the assistance in collaboration with charity organisation MyKasih Foundation at a supermarket here on Monday (April 17).

Sri Marni said her eldest daughter who has graduated from college studies has been the breadwinner of the family of three.

“My daughter works at a kindergarten nearby here, and she has been financially supporting the family.

“Since I’m sick, a lot of expenses are needed,” she said, and added that she has been receiving treatment in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital.

Sri Marni is one of the total of 200 families from B40 categories selected by MyKasih Foundation to receive RM200 worth of grocery items and RM50 duit raya.

A Muslim convert, Aisyah Rani Francis, 41, said she was grateful to be chosen by the organisation to receive the assistance that could help her face the celebration with a peace of mind.

“I’m so happy to receive the assistance that consists of the grocery and duit raya (cash assistance),” she added, who hailed from Tambunan, Sabah.

Aisyah Rani said despite her being new to the religion, her fellow Muslims in the community had never sidelined her. Instead, they had been extending a lending hand.

Star Media Group chief business officer Lydia Wang said: “In conjunction with Hari Raya, we’re grateful to partner with Putrajaya Holdings to bring some festive cheer to families in need.

“Basic necessities such as food have become a luxury for many. We hope this assistance can help lighten their burden as they usher in the celebrations,” she added.

Also present at the assistance handing over ceremony attended by 10 selected families were Putrajaya Holdings (PjH) chief executive officer Datuk Hashimah Hashim and MyKasih Foundation board of trustees Datuk Yaacob Md Amin.

MyKasih Foundation is a charity organisation that aims to help underprivileged Malaysians through food aid and education.

The uniqueness of the MyKasih programme is in the cashless payment system that drives its welfare distribution.

For more information, visit www.mykasih.com or email info@mykasih.com.

Continuous commitment to serve the community

PjH is committed to continue its plan to carry out sustainable and valuable corporate social responsibility for the coming years.

Its chief executive officer Datuk Hashimah Hashim said that PjH has always been cognizant of the welfare and well-being of its community.

“In the past we have allocated a sizeable amount on similar CSR programs aimed specifically at helping to ease the burden of those in need – hence, we will continue to have (both short and long-term) plans to ensure that the CSR program that we carry out is sustainable and create value to our stakeholders,” she said.

Hashimah also added that the latest CSR in collaboration with charity organisation MyKasih Foundation and Star Media Group would hopefully create positive alliances among neighbouring Putrajaya communities.

“We hope that this collaboration (Ramadan Raya Campaign 2023 with Star Media Group and MyKasih Foundation) will lead to other CSR collaboration opportunities that will enrich the lives of other families similar to the ones that we have impacted today.

“As one of the nation’s progressive property developers, we have a long-standing commitment to give back to the community and improve the quality of their Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

“This program is about providing basic needs and duit raya to a number of urban hard core poor families from nearby Sepang and Bangi towns,” she added.

In conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, Hashimah wished all Muslims in the country a blessed Eid with family and friends.

On the newly launched Residensi Sakura located in Presint 11 by PjH, Hashimah said the developer will bear the legal fee on preparation of sales and purchase agreement as well as stamp duty on transfer costs for the potential buyers.

“Residensi Sakura is sold with a 10% discount for all Malaysians and 10% rebate (being zero downpayment),” she revealed.

For further information, visit www.pjh.com.my.