KUALA LUMPUR: Nestlé Malaysia and the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) have prepared 7,000 flood aid packs worth about RM1.8 million to support families in flood-prone communities as the monsoon season approaches.
The relief supplies are already being sent to Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.
A separate initiative in Sabah has mobilised 40 volunteers to prepare 1,000 aid bags for deployment within the state.
The annual Nationwide Flood Aid Relief initiative marks the fourth consecutive year of collaboration between Nestlé Malaysia and MRC.
Since 2023, the partnership has provided assistance to more than 30,000 families affected by floods and strengthened MRC’s emergency response capabilities, including funding for a new ambulance.
Nestlé Malaysia chief executive officer Juan Aranols said advance preparation was crucial to ensuring essential food and beverage supplies could reach affected communities quickly when disasters struck.
He said the collaboration leveraged MRC’s humanitarian network and the commitment of volunteers to improve flood preparedness nationwide.
The aid packs contain essential food and beverage products, including Milo, Nescafe, Milo, Maggi, Nestlé breakfast cereals, Nestim, Lactogroe and Everyday.
The Kuala Lumpur packing exercise involved Nestlé Malaysia employees, MRC volunteers and representatives from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Malaya-Wales and Yayasan Wakaf.
In Sabah, employees from Nestlé’s local operations, Harrisons Sabah and MRC Sabah worked together to prepare the additional aid bags.
MRC national chairperson Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah said preparing supplies before floods occurred would enable humanitarian assistance to be deployed more effectively.
The initiative also involves the National Disaster Management Agency and its agencies as partners in this year’s relief efforts.
The programme forms part of Nestlé Sayang Komuniti, which mobilises employees for community and humanitarian causes.
Separately, Nestlé Malaysia collaborated with Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia to prepare 800 food and nutrition aid packs for families in remote areas of Tumpat and Jeli, Kelantan, ahead of the monsoon season.
A total of 400 employees participated in this year’s relief initiatives.