THE Federal Territories Ministry is looking to strengthen the MY5 programme designed to eradicate urban poverty, besides improving the social safety net system.

Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa said the 2021 programme covers employment through MYJob @ Wilayah, schooling (MYSchoolBus @ Wilayah), basic necessities (MYGrocer @ Wilayah), food (MYFood @ Wilayah) and medicine (MYMedic @ Wilayah).

“We started this programme (around the middle of) last year on a trial and ad hoc basis in a small capacity, so this year, we will run the programme more widely,” he said during the Ruang Bicara programme last night.

He said MYJob @ Wilayah would offer more than 3,000 job opportunities to city dwellers, especially those affected by Covid-19, in six areas – services, construction, maintenance, cleaning, manufacturing and packaging.

The MYSchoolBus @ Wilayah initiative, which aims to help ease the transportation expenses of school children from the low-income group, will be expanded to 158 low-cost public and private housing areas involving almost 10,000 pupils.

The ministry is also targeting to expand the MYGrocer @ Wilayah, which offers groceries up to 20% cheaper than market prices – to 158 public and private low-cost housing areas.

“I also hope for more response and strategic cooperation from the private sector to make MYFood @ Wilayah a success in ensuring that free food assistance can be enjoyed by more people in need.”

MYMedic @ Wilayah, which provides basic treatment and free screening through mobile clinics to the less fortunate on a weekly basis, will also be expanded to more areas.

The ministry also plans to distribute rice through MYBeras @ Wilayah, which will be implemented from February 1 until June, to alleviate the burden of city folk affected by Covid-19.

For a start, 23,000 bags of rice donated by corporate bodies and the public will be distributed three times a week through the Federal Territory Residents’ Representative Council. – Bernama, January 28, 2021.