KUALA TERENGGANU, March 1 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) will immediately send food bank assistance to residents in flood-affected states, says its minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

He said KPDN had so far focused on the distribution of ready-to-cook food and dry food to relief centres in badly affected areas such as Kluang and Segamat in Johor.

"Don’t worry as there will be enough supply. I am confident that not only KPDN but JKM (Social Welfare Department) and other parties such as the state government will also provide food,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after officiating the Rahmah Menu and the handing over of Rahmah Basket contributions at the Infaq Restaurant, Wakaf Tok Pelam here today.

Salahuddin said the ministry would also work with the authorities and rescue agencies in the affected areas to ensure that food supplies reached the victims, including in locations that were difficult to access.

Based on JKM’s ‘Info Bencana’ portal, Johor is the worst affected by the floods at present with over 7,000 victims from 2,000 families.

Meanwhile, Salahuddin said so far, a total of 1,142 food premises have participated in the Rahmah Menu initiative across the country.

"KPDN is calling for more industry players, especially in the restaurant and food industry, to join hands with the government to make this aspiration a success and ease the cost of living for the people,” he said.

Earlier, in a separate programme, Salahuddin said the KPDN hoped that the rental rates for premises in the Ramadan bazaars this year could be reduced, to allow traders to sell food and drinks at lower or ‘Rahmah’ prices.

He said his ministry would discuss the matter with the Ministry of Local Government Development (KPKT) as well as the respective local authorities.

"So far DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) and the Ipoh City Council are among the first to offer places for us to hold the Rahmah Ramadan Bazaar sale. We will also identify other potential locations throughout the country,” he told reporters after officiating the Rahmah Sales Programme at the Sabasun HyperRuncit supermarket in Bukit Kecil here, today. — Bernama