PETALING JAYA: A cashless food aid programme for the urban poor under the Pemerkasa package began on July 1 in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, said the finance ministry.
The aid, dubbed the Prihatin Kasih initiative, provides an allocation of RM100 million in cashless food assistance to 300,000 urban poor households nationwide.
The ministry said the initiative uses the unique technology of the MyKad to distribute aid in a targeted, efficient and secure manner.
Recipients will receive RM100 a month for a period of three months, credited directly into their MyKad, which can then be used to buy essential food items at participating retail outlets such as Mydin, Giant, Econsave, The Store and 99 Speedmart, among others.
“The first phase which started on July 1 in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur has received positive feedback from recipients,” the ministry said in a statement today.
For the next phase, the programme will be launched in Kelantan, Johor, Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Melaka and Terengganu in August; followed by Negeri Sembilan, Labuan, Pahang, Putrajaya, Sabah, and Sarawak in September and October.
“Eligible recipients will receive an SMS from MyKasih to confirm their status as beneficiaries under the programme, along with the date and time for a briefing session,” it added.
More information can be found here.