KUALA LUMPUR: Yayasan Hasanah, a foundation of government investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, is allocating RM128 million for its operating and programme expenditure this year.
Managing Director Shahira Ahmed Bazari said this was an increase of 5.8 per cent as compared to last year's RM121 million as the foundation planned to ramp up initiatives for the environment, art and community areas.
"Moving forward, we must prioritise on levers that will deliver the biggest impact for the well being of Malaysians.
"Our primary and secondary impact for 2017-2021 reflects this and we look forward to the collaboration and support from all stakeholders to make this vision a reality," she told a media briefing here today.
Nevertheless, she said education areas, including scholarship, remained the largest beneficiary of the fund.
Shahira said last year, education programmes received a total funding of RM83 million, followed by knowledge programmes (RM13 million) and public spaces programme (RM10.96 million).
She said over 86 per cent of the fund were channelled to six flagship organisations, namely Yayasan Khazanah, Khazanah Research Institute, ThinkCity, Pintar Foundation, Yayasan Amir and Yayasan Sejahtera.
"Operating expenditure constituted about 7.4 per cent or RM8.95 million of total spending," she said.
She added that the number of grants awarded by the foundation to various organisations also increased last year to 29 from 17 in the previous year.
Established on July 1, 2015, Yayasan Hasanah is funded by an endowment model from Khazanah.
The foundation focuses on addressing the country''s pressing community and social issues, upscaling of civil society organisations and working through social sector collaborations in five focus areas -- education, community development, environment, arts, heritage and culture, and knowledge. --Bernama