This year over 10,000 individuals from underprivileged groups nationwide, including Sabah and Sarawak, will receive food bags contributed by Yayasan PETRONAS through its ‘Program Memacu Kehidupan’.
PETRONAS Central and Northern Office group strategic relations and communications senior manager Zulkifli Othman said the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, which has been implemented in stages, is to ensure that target groups from the various races can celebrate their respective festive seasons happily and harmoniously.
"This programme began in 2018 but we just rebranded its (programme) name. We prioritise recipients who celebrate festivals such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, and the various festivals celebrated in Sabah and Sarawak," he said when met by Bernama.
"The recipients (the underprivileged) are those who receive assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM). They will receive donations of RM200 in the form of food items such as rice, cooking oil, flour, canned food products, and traditional food during the festive seasons."
He said this after presenting the food donations to five recipients from the Chinese community in the Bercham area here through the ‘Program Memacu Kehidupan Tahun Baharu Cina 2024 Bagi Negeri Perak’ which was also attended by Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS Vice Chancellor Professor Dato’ Ts Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib.
According to Zulkifli, this year a total of 2,100 recipients from the Chinese community will receive the food bags. Out of this number, 200 will be from Perak.
Meanwhile, recipient Mak Tsui Kam, 56, from Taman Pakatan, said she was grateful to receive the donation from Yayasan PETRONAS staff who delivered the items to her home.
"I live with my husband, a former ice cream seller, who had to give up working after suffering a stroke," said Mak, whose right leg was amputated last year due to diabetes.
Another recipient, Lay Fong Lian, 78, also expressed happiness after receiving the food bag.
"I am so thankful to Yayasan PETRONAS as I can use these food items for my daily needs," said Lay, who stays with her son.
Source: BERNAMA
