MORE people are in need of free meals distributed by volunteer groups in the Klang Valley.

These groups told The Malaysian Insight the demand for meals were not only from the homeless but also from the working class who were feeling the strain of feeding themselves and their families.

This demand is expected to increase during the two-week lockdown which starts today.

Muzi Canteen, which started operating last October, said its volume of food distribution kept increasing each month, with a high turnout when MCO3.0 was enforced with more stringent curbs in early May.

At first it served lunch daily for 300 pax at its canteen but currently, it serves 800 pax daily, said it founder Lee Chee Kong.

He said that many of the homeless who came to the not-for-profit restaurant in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, have lost their jobs.

“Most of them worked temporary jobs, such as janitors and kitchen helpers at restaurants.

“However, lots of eateries have either shut down or switched to online operation, so they had to cut jobs,” the 43-year-old said.

Apart from the homeless, they also have frequent visits from large households or families with members with disabilities.

They have partnered with vegetarian restaurants to help the underprivileged.

“Recently we prepared and delivered food for 1,000 people. This was for 100 packs each in Sekinchan and Tg Karang, Selangor and 800 in Muzi Canteen.

“In Kepong, our volunteers cooked for them but in other areas such as Bukit Mertajam in Penang, Johor Baru in Johor, and Ipoh in Perak, the vegetarian restaurants cooked and delivered the food and we foot the bill,” he said.

Lee, who is a businessman, said he set up Muzi Canteen using his personal savings and had kind friends who chipped in.

Today, it relies on public donations and if it does not meet the expenses, Lee said he would pay for the remaining from his own pocket.

“When MCO got stricter, we had fewer volunteers made up of housewives. We usually have sufficient volunteers but we could do with a little more help.

“The entire operation needs 10 people and we have 15 on rotation now,” he said.

Chairman and founder of Ar-Riqab Kuala Lumpur Welfare Organisation, Nor Akmar Ali, said there was no food wastage as the 300 to 400 packs of food they give out daily are insufficient to feed the poor.

She said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) prepared the Community Learning Centre in Chow Kit as a venue for her organisation and other groups to distribute food.

“I see an increase in homelessness during this time. Some of these people still had rented rooms before MCO 3.0 but now they really cannot afford it.

“And some who came forward for free meals were ordinary folks who have a place to stay, they just do not have enough financial resources,” she said.

Serving twice the number of people

Another civil society group, The Hope Branch, which was founded by popular comedian Harith Iskander and his wife Dr Jezamine Lim, said most of whom they serve were the homeless, mainly males and those above the age of 45.

They started the initiative on March 23 last year to help those who were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The number gradually went up from MCO 2.0 (started in early January) as more and more people were impacted by the Covid-19 lockdowns,” said Harith.

“We are now looking at distributing almost 500 meals a day, previously we were distributing about 250 to 300 meals a day.”

The duo and their team of volunteers usually distribute at DBKL-designated places.

These are the DBKL facility in Medan Tuanku; the Homeless Transformation Centre in Anjung Kelana, Taman Desa; the Community Learning Centre in Chow Kit; and the temporary shelters in Sentul Perdana, Jinjang Utara and Setiawangsa.

They also visit underprivileged homes and families weekly to give out food.

Harith and Lim said the main challenge would be raising enough funds for food supplies.

“Any corporate entity who wants to work with us is welcome. The public can also donate and contribute to our official platforms.

Of course, more focused grants and aid from the related government departments would always be welcome and appreciated.

“Currently, we are self-operating and rely on the generosity and kindness of the public to continue our work,” he said. – June 1, 2021.