KUALA LUMPUR: With the tagline #kitakanjiran (#weareneighbours), Lotus's says it will continue to be proactive in offering assistance to the people in need including those who were affected by the recent floods.

The #kitakanjiran Flood Aid programme in collaboration with Astro and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society was done twice in Ara Damansara on Dec 22 and in Kepong yesterday.

Lotus's Malaysia executive director (Corporate Services) Azliza Azmel, Lotus's is planning to extend the programme to Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

"A total of 15 out of our 62 stores have been opened to help communities affected by the floods," she said when launching the programme yesterday.

Azliza said through the programme, Lotus's will provide a location for the community to donate and purchase necessities to be donated to flood victims while Astro will assist by promoting the programme to the public and the Red Crescent will provide the logistics for the distribution of aid to flood victims.

Azliza said Lotus's Shah Alam had also distributed water and dry food items like biscuits and bread to the victims who were trapped for 17 hours in traffic congestions because of the floods that happened near the store on Dec 18.

Lotus's has also extended its Shah Alam store operations so that the public could rest and perform prayers and as well as provide them with snacks, hot drinks, blankets, baby diapers and other hygiene necessities during their stay.

Besides that, their volunteer team from Shah Alam, Puchong, Klang, Cheras, Kuala Selangor, Selayang, Ara Damansara and Bahau had also taken immediate action to deliver food supplies and basic necessities to the affected surrounding communities.

She added that since the floods hit on Dec 18, flood victims who have been assisted by Lotus's are countless and hoped that with the contribution of #kitakanjiran flood aid, it can help more than 500 families and individuals in the Shah Alam, Hulu Langat and Klang areas.

"The early-year allocation of the #kitakanjiran fund as well as generous donations from the public, colleagues and our partners have been used to help the victims of the recent floods," she said.

Meanwhile, BSMM Community Resilience officer Nor Hajar Baharuddin said the aid would be channelled to flood victims in Shah Alam, Dengkil, Banting, Hulu Langat as well as in Mentakab, Temerloh, Kuala Lipis and Bentong, Pahang

-- BERNAMA