Food aid must be sincere, not based on ethnic differences - Johor Sultan

JOHOR BAHRU: Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar said food assistance for the needy should be distributed sincerely and should not be based along racial lines.

The ruler said in the current situation people regardless of religion and race have fallen on hard times after losing their jobs and sources of income and they are facing unbearable financial difficulties.

"If you want to help, please be sincere by helping anyone in need. Do not discriminate along ethnic lines," he said in a posting on his official Facebook, today.

He was commenting on a video that had gone viral on social media yesterday that showed a grocery shop in the Skudai area here offering basic food assistance but allegedly discriminated against a certain race.

At the same time, the Johor ruler emphasised the importance of inter-racial relations and tolerance which have always been the backbone of the unity of the Johor people.

Citing the food aid donated by the Yayasan Sultan Ibrahim Johor (YSIJ) as an example, the ruler said the intention was to help all people in need, adding that the issues of race or religion should never arise.

-- BERNAMA