Maybank Islamic’s Ramadhan Relief Programme goes regional

Select beneficiaries from Barangay 174 in Caloocan City pose with the Maybank Islamic, Maybank Philippines and Islamic Relief team following the closing of the Ramadhan Relief programme held at the Maybank Corporate Center. VIP attendees include Maybank Philippines Officer-in-Charge Hazli Abu Samah (6th from right), Maybank Islamic Director Dali Sardar (7th from right), Islamic Relief Malaysia Trustee Dr. Abdul Rahman Bidin (7th from left) and Islamic Relief Philippines Head of Mission Mdm Sumayya Sajjad.

MANILA, 24 May 2017: After four years since it first started, Maybank Islamic Berhad’s annual “Ramadhan Relief” programme took a different turn this year, when it expanded its reach to include 3 other ASEAN countries, distributing food supplies of RM2 million (PHP23.0 million) worth in value to thousands of underprivileged groups.

Between 2013 and 2016, this programme has seen close to RM3 million (PHP35.0 million) worth of food supplies distributed to a total of 25,300 families in Malaysia, bringing relief and easing their burden during the fasting month of Ramadhan.

This year, Maybank Islamic has decided to embark on a bigger distribution scale to include other beneficiaries from Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines – the three countries where Maybank has a significant base and presence.

The food distribution took place simultaneously today in selected Maybank branches in the four countries with the main event held at Bangunan Maybank Indonesia in Jakarta, launched by President Director & CEO Maybank Indonesia, Pak Taswim Zakaria. Also present in the Jakarta event were Maybank Islamic Chairman Encik Zainal Abidin Jamal and Head, Group Islamic Banking and Maybank Islamic CEO Dato’ Mohamed Rafique Merican.

“We are very pleased and honoured to announce that the programme this time around is not only for the underprivileged in Malaysia but also for the communities in these 3 other neighboring countries, benefitting more than 58,000 beneficiaries,” Dato’ Mohamed Rafique said in a statement.

Ramadhan, he noted is a month where Muslims are encouraged to reflect on, and care for the underprivileged with a heightened sense of empathy.

“Providing for the people who face food insecurity in the fasting month is a rewarding spiritual act as we play a role in ensuring that their burden is somewhat eased during this holy month,” Dato’ Mohamed Rafique added.

In the Philippines, the main food distribution event was held at the Maybank Corporate Centre, with Maybank Philippines Officer-in-Charge Hazli Abu Samah and Maybank Islamic Director Dali Sardar leading the presentation of food boxes. Ten beneficiaries from Barangay 174 in Caloocan City have been invited for the Manila event to accept the donation, while the rest of the food distribution activity will take place in the barangay the following day. Other distribution venues will be Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Pikit and Cotabato City in Mindanao.

“We are committed to supporting this noble initiative by Maybank Islamic, providing food assistance to identified beneficiaries during Ramadhan,” said Hazli Abu Samah, Maybank Philippines Officer-in-Charge. “We are also very pleased that the food distribution is expanded to the Philippines as the contribution means a lot to these deserving families.”

Hazli added, “This collective effort resonates our core T.I.G.E.R values of working together and highlights our “humanising financial services” proposition. For us at Maybank, this is our on-going commitment to always be at the heart of the communities that we serve.”

All in all, the number of people in the region who will benefit from this initiative are 16,666 beneficiaries in Malaysia, in Indonesia 4,000 disaster affected households or 20,000 beneficiaries, in the Philippines 18,500 beneficiaries and in Singapore, a total of 3,400 urban poor will receive the food aid.

The beneficiaries will include single parents, orphans, the elderly, critical patients, people with disabilities, the poor, the homeless and other eligible individuals.

For the Philippine distribution, food boxes contained 15 kilos of rice, 3 cans of corned beef, 3 cans of sardines, ½ kilo monggo beans, 2 kilos vegetable oil and ½ kilo iodised salt.

The Ramadhan Relief Programme is a collaboration with Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) which has counterparts in Indonesia and the Philippines while in Singapore, their local implementing partner is Samrah Club. ADVT