SOUP kitchens in the Klang Valley are seeing more urban poor in their queues in recent months.

They told The Malaysian Insight that people are struggling financially due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the flood disasters of last year.

Beyond Borders founder Mahi Ramakrishnan said on top of the “double disaster”, the prices of food have increased and are sorely felt by the lower-income groups.

“Many have still not been able to find a job after getting laid off,” Mahi said.

“Some can’t restart their small businesses because their meagre savings have been used. And after the lockdowns were lifted, the country was hit by one of the worst floods in history.”

Beyond Borders supplies about 1,200 meals per week to the needy.

Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dan Kebajikan Umum Malaysia (PPKUM) founder Elisha Kor Krishnan said there has been a 20% increase in the number of people on its free meals programme.

“Normally, we distribute 100 food packs per session, but now we are distributing double that. We predict this number will rise in the coming months,” she said.

PPKUM hands out food packs twice a day five times a week.

Elisha said funds are a problem and the organisation may have to stop work if donations aren’t forthcoming.

Pertiwi Soup Kitchen founder Munirah Abdul Hamid said the people at her soup kitchen are mainly the poor rather than the homeless.

Pertiwi has not seen more people collecting food packs, but Munirah attributes this to there being more feeding programmes.

Previously, she had told The Malaysian Insight that volunteers groups which distribute food ad hoc caused problems such as littering and wastage.

Pertiwi gives away food from the homeless transit shelter in Lorong Medan Tuanku 2 in Kuala Lumpur to about 800 people daily.

The reported increase in people coming to soup kitchens comes amid a bleak economic outlook, which economists said could worsen still due the war between Russia and Ukraine, which will cause inflation to soar.

The urban poor are once again in the spotlight as unions and low-income earners urge the government for higher minimum wage amid pushback from employers’ groups.

The government is expected to raise the minimum wage from RM1,200 to RM1,500 by the end of the year.

The Centre researcher Edwin Goh said the minimum wage rate will determine whether workers can may ends meet.

He said from 2012 to 2022, the minimum wage had only increased by RM300.

“Assuming there is no frequent timely minimum wage review, minimum wage earners will increasingly struggle to make ends meet as the prices of goods rise faster than their income,” he said.

Data from the Employment Insurance System last year showed about 8.8% of workers in Malaysia were paid less than the minimum wage of RM1,200 per month. – March 6, 2022.