THE threat of infection from the deadly Covid-19 virus is ever present but this has not stopped charity and welfare groups from reaching out to the needy since the start of the movement-control order (MCO) four weeks ago.

The thing that keeps these groups working for the needy is the unending amount of money and energy Malaysians have poured into their campaigns.

The welfare groups told The Malaysian Insight that Malaysians regardless of age, race, creed or colour have turned up every day to either lend a hand or give thousands of ringgit to help feed the homeless, jobless migrant workers and refugees.

As the MCO enters its fifth week, the groups said the overwhelming support shown by Malaysians will ensure that those displaced by the MCO will not go hungry in the next 14 days.

“The situation on the ground has been dire. We get at least 50 calls a day from migrants, refugees and B40 parents pleading for help, that they can’t put food on the table,” said Heidy Quah, who is part of a coalition of four groups.

“However, it has been so heart-warming to see that Malaysians have truly come together to help those in need,” said Quah, founder of Refuge for the Refugees.

“Companies come forward to help by giving supplies, by offering to transport food. Malaysians go online and perform songs to raise funds for us.”

Refuge for the Refugees has joined with Tenaganita, Dapur Jalanan Kuala Lumpur and Liga Rakyat Demokratik to prepare food packages to send to refugee families, jobless migrants and those from the bottom 40% of households.

The coalition has also partnered with the Malaysian Red Crescent Society and several private firms, which assist in deliveries and supplies.

The food packages consist of a 10kg bag of rice, oil, flour, canned food, potatoes, onions and dhal.

When requested, the coalition also provides nappies and infant formula for families with toddlers.

To date, it has managed to send out packages to 2,400 families in 102 locations all over the Klang Valley.

“Companies have been very generous. One day Nestle calls us and says they’re contributing cartons of milk, the next day F&N calls us.

“BMW helped us transport supplies and packages with their extra big cars,” said Quah.

Online, two initiatives collected about RM12,000 for the coalition.

They are the Festival Duduk Rumah, which featured live-streamed music performances, and If Walls Could Talk, a recital by 21 poets.

“Every day, we have had up to 30 volunteers in our logistics centre tirelessly packing, sorting, doing inventory and deliveries. They are from all ages and races,” said Quah.

It was reported that there are more than 178,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia, with 154,000 from Myanmar.

The remainder are from Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia Syria, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Palestine.

When times are tough

The country entered the third phase of the MCO yesterday as it fights to halt the transmission of the coronavirus, which by yesterday has infected 5,072 and killed 83.

In Kuala Lumpur, 16 civic groups have coordinated between themselves to provide meals to about 700 people in seven temporary shelters for the homeless.

Pertiwi Soup Kitchen founder Munirah Abdul Hamid said some groups are also providing meals and drinks to about 250 other homeless people not in these shelters.

“Some of them fear going to the shelters as they’re afraid of being arrested but we are trying to persuade them to change their minds,” said Munirah.

In the early days of the MCO, the groups worked with Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Welfare Department to convince and move homeless people into the shelters as many still wanted to sleep on the streets.

“It was a bit chaotic at first, but things are running smoothly now and we all have a schedule that we stick to,” said Kechara Soup kitchen manager Justin Cheah.

“It is more challenging now because we have to provide meals everyday whereas in the past, we fed the homeless at different times per week.”

They both commended the generosity of Malaysians who have given money and time to provide sufficient meals for the homeless.

“We have had an endless stream of people asking how they can contribute and we thank God for that because it has really kept us going as we run purely on donations,” said Munirah.

Cheah said the group is always concerned for the health and safety of volunteers risking their lives to make deliveries.

“Many want to help in the background but there are also some who are willing to go in the field to make deliveries. It is not because they don’t care for their own safety.

“It is because they know that times are tough and they want to do what they can to help.” – April 16, 2020.