Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) stays committed to its efforts in lending support and aid to affected Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) businesses and communities during this challenging period of COVID-19 pandemic. In view of the immense impact of this unprecedented period, Yayasan TM (YTM), TM's social impact-based foundation and also its Corporate Responsibility arm, embarked on a food bank programme called "Inisiatif Tolong Menolong", as part of the ongoing "Malaysia Prihatin" movement.

The two (2) months programme is aimed at supporting local SME businesses such as grocery stores, sundry shops and restaurants as well as community groups in need including B40 families and the homeless, who are affected by the pandemic and enforcement of Movement Control Order (MCO). For this initiative, YTM works with TM's state offices nationwide to identify the local SMEs and provide the beneficiaries with basic necessities to alleviate their burden during this challenging time.

Izlyn Ramli, Director of YTM shared: "We understand that the MCO is necessary to keep Malaysians safe during this pandemic, but it brought its own challenges to our livelihood. This is where YTM and TM Group continue to lend our helping hand wherever possible, embracing the spirit of "Malaysia Prihatin" and #kitajagakita. Apart from other ongoing initiatives to help the nation bounce back, we have embarked on this nationwide "Inisiatif Tolong Menolong" that adopts a two-pronged approach – providing basic necessities to those in need by purchasing the items from the local SME businesses in the vicinity. This will help the beneficiaries while at the same time assisting in the survival of the affected local SMEs. We hope this humble assistance can make life and business easier for them, and they have a chance to rebuild their lives together."

"We are also very grateful for the great support and cooperation from the TM state offices and our various stakeholders on the ground who have worked tirelessly to make this initiative a success," Izlyn concluded.

The initiative, kicked off on 20 August 2021 nationwide, is set to benefit more than 140 SME businesses, which were selected as collection points for the identified 14,000 families to get their basic food supplies in their respective areas.

This programme is also part of the collective humanitarian efforts of the GLC/GLIC Disaster Response Network (GDRN), for which YTM is co-chair together with Khazanah Nasional Berhad's Yayasan Hasanah, under Ministry of Finance (MOF)-GDRN PERMAI Relief Fund 2021; a matching grant announced under Initiative 6 of Pakej Bantuan Perlindungan Ekonomi & Rakyat Malaysia (PERMAI) to provide immediate relief to those adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disaster. Earlier this year, TM had disbursed RM1.5 million of the TM's MOF-GDRN PERMAI Relief Fund 2021 via 17 NGOs nationwide and benefited more than 10,000 families from various backgrounds. Also under this fund, working together with Persatuan OKU Sentral and GDRN partners, TM has recently contributed a month's supply of food for front-liners and volunteers working at a Drive-Through Vaccine Center (PPV) specifically for the special needs community, including their guardians and senior citizens in Johor Bahru.

To date, the TM Group including YTM has extended close to RM20 million through various initiatives to ease the lives of affected communities, and in continuous support of Malaysia's nation-building and community welfare agenda in these challenging times. YTM joins all Malaysians in prayer for the safety and health of the nation, together may we return stronger.