The Mutiara Food Bank, the brainchild of the Penang chief minister’s strategy adviser Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, today signed an agreement with Kuala Lumpur-based Food Aid Foundation to extend the food aid to more low-income households.

The entry of the foundation will see it sharing its expertise in terms of operations.

The agreement also brings in the Penang Chef and Hotel Associations to provide surplus food from hotels. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng witnessed the signing.

Saifuddin, who is also PKR’s secretary-general, explained the food would be distributed using a name list from the state’s social welfare database.

He said the food would be sent to them twice a week to ease their burden.

The food to be made available will include halal curries and typical Malaysian cooked food, which will be frozen and packed and distributed on the same day.

Lim applauded the Mutiara initiative, saying the Penang government has spent RM23.2 million on Agenda Ekonomi Saksama (AES), which was set up in 2009 to help eradicate poverty.

He said Penang had spent RM412.63 million since 2008 on welfare plans under the i-Sejahtera scheme, benefiting senior citizens, single mothers and the disabled.