Kuala Lumpur, 24 May 2017: Four years after it was started, Maybank Islamic Berhad’s annual “Ramadhan Relief” programme took a different approach this year, when it expanded its reach to include three other ASEAN countries, distributing food supplies worth RM2 million to thousands of underprivileged groups.

Between 2013 and 2016, this programme saw close to RM3 million worth of food supplies distributed to a total of 25,300 families in Malaysia, bringing relief and providing assistance during the fasting month of Ramadhan.

This year, Maybank Islamic has embarked on a bigger distribution scale to also include 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 Maybank Indonesia’s head office in Jakarta, launched by President Director & CEO Maybank Indonesia, Pak Taswin Zakaria.

Also present 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 three other neighbouring countries, benefitting over 58,000 beneficiaries,” Dato’ Mohamed Rafique said in a statement released here today.

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 with the coming of the fasting month is a rewarding spiritual act as we play a role in ensuring that their burden may be eased during this holy month,” Dato’ Mohamed Rafique added.

The beneficiaries included single parents, orphans, the elderly, critically ill patients, people with disabilities, the poor, the homeless and other eligible individuals.

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

“We hope that the little help we are extending will bring some cheer to the beneficiaries in this coming blessed month of Ramadhan. For us at Maybank, this is our on-going commitment to always be at the heart of the communities that we serve,” he said.
The essential food supplies comprised among others, basic necessities such as rice, cooking oil, flour, and sugar to prepare them for the fasting month.

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.