KUALA LUMPUR: Government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies’ (GLICs) Disaster Response Network (GDRN) has collected RM40 million in early contributions for humanitarian and medical-related initiatives to battle the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia.

In a statement yesterday, the GDRN said of the total, RM17 million will be pledged directly to the health ministry (MoH) for the purchase of medical supplies, personal protective equipment and ventilators.

The coordination and implementation of procurement, handling, warehousing and distribution will be done through Pharmaniaga Bhd.

Twelve entities have pledged the RM17 million:

1.    Affin Bank Bhd

2.    CIMB Bank Bhd

3.    Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan)(KWAP)

4.    Permodalan Nasional Bhd

5.    Sime Darby Property Bhd

6.    Pharmaniaga

7.    Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB)

8.    Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM)

9.    TIME dotCom Bhd

10.    Yayasan Hasanah

11.    Yayasan Sime Darby

12.    Yayasan UEM

The remaining RM23 million has been used to implement relief support such as distributing food supplies, hygiene kits and medical equipment to hospitals including Pusat Kesihatan Daerah, universities still housing students on campuses and the surveillance centre managed by the National Disaster Management Agency.

In addition, several GDRN members have mobilised their volunteers.

The network is managed by a joint-secretariat led by Yayasan Hasanah — a foundation of Khazanah Nasional Bhd — and TM.

“We strongly feel our support should be better coordinated to avoid duplication of efforts and redundancy of supplies. We hope this platform will enable a more streamlined approach to assist the MoH and the nation during this difficult time,” said Yayasan Hasanah managing director Shahira Ahmed Bazari.

 “Currently, Yayasan Hasanah is coordinating the efforts with GLCs and GLICs under the GDRN and welcomes all [members of the] private sector to also extend support towards this joint effort.”

Even after the movement control order period — expected to end on March 31 — the network will continue providing support to the vulnerable and bottom 40% income group impacted by Covid-19.

Any interested parties or organisations wishing to contribute via the GDRN and Yayasan Hasanah can get in touch with Yayasan Hasanah head of community development and humanitarian disaster relief Anita Ahmad at 019-2782707 or [email protected], and TM head of corporate responsibility and external stakeholders management Izad Ismail at 019-3366035 or [email protected].