A total of 242,600 people are expected to benefit from the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation's (Yapeim) Food Bank 1.0 programme when it ends in March next year, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Fuziah Salleh.

To date, she said 18,610 people across the country had benefitted from the programme which was part of Yapeim's efforts to improve the standard of living of the people through the targeted distribution of aid to the B40, students and “asnaf” group.

She said the programme, with an allocation of RM4 million, had started last August and 'entered' 26 out of 145 targeted districts.

"So far, the states that have benefitted are Pahang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak. Later, we will enter other states like Terengganu and Kelantan," she told reporters after launching the national-level of the Yapeim Food Bank 1.0 Programme in Kuala Lumpur today.

Meanwhile, Yapeim board of trustees chairperson Dr Mohd Daud Bakar said to date, 2,550 people have benefitted from the Food Bank 1.0 programme in the form of Ready to Eat (RTE) programme, specifically for students of higher learning institutions, involving an allocation of RM12,800.

Mohd Daud said the RTE programme was implemented in five locations, namely Picoms International University College, Seberang Perai Polytechnic, Universiti Teknologi MARA in Penang, International Islamic University Malaysia and Baitulmal Professional College.

"Since the implementation of this programme is reaching its maximum impact, especially to help the targeted group, Yapeim is committed to expanding the contribution especially to students in other institutions of higher learning," he said.

Mohd Daud said 16,060 people had benefitted from the Dry Food contributions.

- Bernama