KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Lotus’s Stores Malaysia Sdn Bhd or formerly known as Tesco Stores Malaysia is rolling out two CSR initiatives to help underprivileged families this Ramadan and Hari Raya.

Teaming up with colleagues and small and medium enterprise supplier, All Kurma Sdn Bhd, Lotus’s Stores Malaysia is helping those affected financially by the Covid-19 pandemic through their Kiriman Ikhlas Raya (KIR) and the Tabung Kiriman Ikhlas (TKI) initiatives.

According to Lotus’s head of corporate communications and CSR, Hanim Hamdan, this is the first time they’re teaming up with five religious bodies across five states to distribute the Zakat Wakalah through their KIR initiative.

"For the KIR initiative, we are teaming up with the Majlis Agama Islam and Lembaga Zakat across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Kedah, and Kelantan for the distribution of the Zakat Wakalah contributed by Lotus’s colleagues.

"This particular initiative will see the contribution of RM300 worth of household necessities to 100 pre-selected asnaf (underprivileged) families for a grander Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration,” Hanim said.

Lotus’s Malaysia customers will be given the chance to play their role in helping the same pre-selected asnaf families through the TKI initiative.

From purchases of at least RM18 worth of All Kurma products, RM1 will be channelled to the TKI.

All Kurma product ranges include Siafa, Mahadhi, al-Hisham, Masafii, Date Crown and Springdeal.

"Our target is to raise RM30,000 in funds, which will then be converted into Lotus’s vouchers to be distributed to the same 100 pre-selected asnaf families. 

"Although the TKI campaign is still ongoing until June 2, we are hoping that we will be able to hit the target before the deadline,” said Hanim.

The first distribution of Kiriman Ikhlas Raya cash vouchers and Tabung Kiriman Ikhlas goods took place in Lotus’s Kota Baru, Kelantan on April 20. — Picture courtesy of Lotus Stores Malaysia

The first distribution of the initiatives took place in Lotus’s Kota Baru, Kelantan on April 20 with the rest scheduled throughout the holy month of Ramadan.

Through the combined KIR and TKI initiatives, the beneficiaries will be able to enjoy RM300 worth of cash vouchers and RM300 worth of household necessities.

In 2019, Lotus’s then known as Tesco Malaysia collaborated with Pusat Pungutan Zakat (PPZ) and Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) in distributing household goods to 12 asnaf families located at the People Housing Project in Desa Rejang, Setapak.

In 2020, the Zakat Wakalah distribution was allocated to 60 Tesco store and Distribution Centre’s colleagues who found themselves sole breadwinners after family members were made redundant because of the pandemic.