FOR years, Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew – better known as Ustaz Ebit Lew – has helped groups shunned by most Islamic missionaries, such as transgenders and mat rempit, with little fanfare.

As Covid-19 has locked everyone inside and wiped out incomes, Ebit has turned his attention to these folk, handing out groceries and food supplies.

Like other donors and civil society groups, the preacher and motivational speaker did so without much publicity until he unwittingly found himself in the eye of a social media storm.

The mounting criticism prompted Ebit to put his work on hold.

“On advice, I have now decided to stop my service to those in need of help during this time. They are all good people who treated me well, helping me with my work,” Ebit said.

This is despite the police having no objections to his charitable work.

Bukit Aman said Ebit is allowed to go about his business as he was granted permission to do charity work.

“No investigation papers have been opened on him,” the police said in a statement, adding that reports have been lodged against the preacher.

The incident in question was a viral video of Ebit giving aid to a family of 20, who live in a wooden hut in Alor Star, Kedah.

The family comprise a 77-year-old bedridden stroke victim, Ishak Darus, his wife, their eight children and 10 grandchildren, all squeezed into a termite-infested single-room hut in the state capital.

The video sparked accusations that Kedah and its zakat department have ignored the family’s plight.

Others also questioned Ebit’s motive for visiting Ishak once it emerged that the state authorities have been assisting the family since 2007.

In fact, the Kedah zakat department has for years, tried to convince the family to move into a new house it has provided.

During his visit, Ebit managed to convince Ishak to move out.

“I am only doing what I can to help the needy. What I am doing is little compared to other people and the government,” Ebit told The Malaysian Insight when asked about the controversy over the visit to Ishak.

Ebit is unfazed, saying he has “forgiven those who questioned his motives”.

“We have to be forgiving to everyone, to care for everyone. Don’t be jealous of others, no matter their political leanings, their skin colour and their faith. We are all one family.”

In every trial, a blessing

In religious circles, Ebit is known for his outreach work towards groups typically shunned by the majority of conservative Muslims.

“I will go into nightclubs in Kuala Lumpur and visit troubled youth and people living underneath bridges. It’s part of what I do and I like it,” he said during a recent visit to Penang.

When he meets them, Ebit does not judge their actions or talk about sin and hellfire but about “God’s love and blessings for everyone”.

That approach is also apparent in his charity work during the movement-control order (MCO) as he’s given out aid to the needy regardless of race or religion.

“Malay, Indian, Chinese, Sabahan, Sarawakian, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and Hindus are all one family. We all have to care for each other.”

During his Penang visit, he handed out aid to policemen in one of the district headquarters.

“What I am doing is small compared to what the cops are doing. We have to acknowledge their contributions, and those of the doctors and nurses in the front-line fighting Covid-19.”

Ebit’s donations are funded from a portion of his business but after others expressed an interest in contributing, he opened a fund – The Malaysian Care Association.

“My family – both Chinese and Malays – have contributed,” he said, adding that the donations are put in box with a label that says: “Saudaraku, di sebalik ujian ada rahmat (Brothers and sisters, in every trial, there is a blessing) – Ebit Lew”.

Yesterday, 100 patients recovered from Covid-19 and were discharged from hospitals, a figure nearly triple that of the 38 new cases reported over the same 24 hours, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The death toll remains at 98, said the director-general of health, while the accumulated number of cases is now 5,780. – April 27, 2020.