KUALA LUMPUR: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) plans to work with the Federal Territories Ministry in continuing the previous and future programmes to alleviate the burden of more than 10,000 urban poor.

Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the cooperation, among others, involved the introduction of automatic dispensing machine providing free rice for the needy at Rumah Prihatin @ Grand Seasons which will be launched tomorrow.

"Through this pilot project, those in need can get around one to five kilogrammes of rice donated by various parties and the public," he told a press conference in conjunction with the 'Malam Kasih Merdeka' celebration here yesterday.

Annuar, who is the founder of Rumah Prihatin and former Federal Territories Minister, said other plans included a toy bank pilot project and temporary accommodation for cancer patients from outside the capital.

"We want this Rumah Prihatin to be better known so that more people will help and it will benefit those in need," he said.

The Rumah Prihatin @ Grand Seasons, which started operating on July 15, is a charity hotel providing meals, beds and counselling services to those hard hit by the pandemic.

Commenting further, Annuar said the centre was able to provide about 20 beds for a start and had received 10 cancer patients from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital who needed temporary accommodation.

The event held in conjunction with the 64th National Day celebration was also attended by Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim and his deputy Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias.

It was held in hybrid format according to strict standard operating procedures (SOP) and started with 'zikir munajat' and 'doa selamat' led by assistant director of Mosque Management Division of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI).

-- BERNAMA