Johor begins delivering food baskets to Malaysians in Singapore

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Dec 3 -- The Johor state government began the process of sending food baskets to help Malaysians in Singapore today.

Three hundred food baskets worth RM30,000 will be sent to Malaysian workers as soon as possible.

Menteri Besar Datuk Ir Hasni Mohammad said the first phase of distributing 300 baskets containing ready-to-eat food, snacks, blankets and personal healthcare packs would be in stages.

He said the state government was cooperating with the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore to speed up the distribution process.

He said the effort also involved Wisma Putra, the Customs Department, Immigration Department, Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS), Johor Corporation (JCorp), Johor Public Transport Authority, Southern Volunteers and Johor Bahru Heavy Machine Motor Club (HMMC).

"The state government planned to distribute 1,000 food baskets but for the first phase, we will send 300 baskets first as advised by our High Commission in Singapore.

"We will continue this effort until all 1,000 are sent, then we will carry on. The delivery depends on the advice of our High Commission there because we have to follow that country’s rules,” he told reporters after sending off the lorry containing the food baskets at Dataran Mahkota Kota Iskandar, today.

Also present were state Tourism, Youth and Sports Committee chairman, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Johor Financial Officer, Datuk A Rahim Nin.

Hasni said the Johor government would continue this effort to enable the public to help other Malaysians who are stuck in Singapore due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This effort led by Datuk Onn Hafiz is due to Johorians wanting to help ease the burden of their fellow Malaysians in the island republic,” he added.

Last Thursday, Hasni announced the food basket initiative in the 2021 Johor Budget to help Malaysians in Singapore.

-- BERNAMA