Maybank Islamic Berhad today announces the commencement of its annual flagship food relief program, the Bank’s long-standing commitment to support communities and families in need during the month of Ramadhan. Between 2013 and 2025, this program, aptly called Regional Ramadhan Relief had seen some RM21 million worth of food supplies distributed to close to 120,000 families and individuals living in poverty, bringing relief and providing assistance during the Muslim fasting month.
This year’s breakdown of the beneficiaries are 5,610 families in Malaysia, 600 families in the Philippines, 700 in Singapore, 380 families in Indonesia, 280 in Cambodia, 40 in Laos,310 in Vietnam, 60 in Brunei, 290 in Thailand, 180 in Rohingya refugees of Bangladesh), 82 in Dubai and 600 in Palestine. Introduced in 2013, the first 4 years saw the programs focusing on families in Malaysia, but the reach was further expanded to all ASEAN countries, of which the Maybank Group has a presence. In 2019, Dubai, UAE where Maybank Islamic has a branch, was added to the list.
This year, continuing a legacy of compassion and community support, through one of the programme’s implementing partners that is MERCY Malaysia, Palestinians in Gaza will also be receiving the Ramadhan food aid and also an additional RM2 million for the supplies of the much needed medical aid, to ease their never ending plight even after the recent ceasefire. This is the second time Maybank Islamic donated for the Palestinian cause in the form of medical aid, the first being last August for an amount of RM1 million, also through MERCY Malaysia.
Maybank Islamic’s other implementing partners this time are Yayasan Ikhlas, Islamic Aid Malaysia, Islamic Relief Malaysia and Hikmah Sarawak, who will work alongside their counterparts in all 12 participating countries to distribute RM2.3 million worth of food items to close to 10,000 families. The food supplies given comprise basic necessities such as rice, cooking oil, flour, sugar and other essential food items which are normally needed in the fasting month.
Kicking off the programme this year, a fisherman village in Semporna, Sabah, called Kampung Sri Kuala Bibang where the residents mostly live in stilted houses built over water, was chosen for the food boxes handover ceremony to 80 underprivileged families.Present at the ceremony are Maybank Islamic CEO, Dato’ Muzaffar Hisham, Maybank Sabah Regional Director, Amylyn Blantocas Tiamson, Chairman of Yayasan Ikhlas, Prof Dr Zainur Rashid Zainuddin, and Director of the Sabah Religious Affairs Department, Jumain Abd Ghani. Other representatives from Maybank Islamic are board of directors, Prof. Dato’ Dr Aznan Hasan and Datuk Zainal Izlan, Head of Shariah Management, Munawwaruzzaman Mahmud and Head of Strategy, Norzulkarnein Nor Mohamad.
“Semporna was chosen as the symbolic event location due to the challenges faced by the local community here, many of whom are fishermen who often struggle to catch fish during bad weather. We hope this assistance can somewhat ease their burdens in putting food on the table especially during Ramadan,” said Dato’ Muzaffar in his speech adding that a total of 710 families in Sabah are recipients to this year’s programme.
“This programme is one of them. Indeed, we are grateful to be able to continue with this programme year after year and share sustenance not only with those in need in Malaysia but also in the rest of ASEAN member countries and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and this year is indeed a special one as the people of Gaza in Palestine are also included,” said Dato Muzaffar.
This year, Maybank Islamic has allocated about RM35 million for corporate social responsibility initiatives, including education programs, humanitarian aid, community empowerment, and Islamic social finance both locally and internationally.