THE Klang Valley’s urban poor, feeling the effect of rising living costs, are relying more on food handouts from volunteer groups.

The Lost Food Project (TLFP) is one such group involved in the redistribution of surplus food and non-food essentials to more than 80 civil society organisations and thousands of B40 families.

One particular neighbourhood that has benefited from TLFP is Kampung Petaling Bahagia in Jalan Puchong. It is among the 14 housing estates that are receiving food aid from TLFP.

Kampung Petaling Bahagia resident and food aid coordinator Hisno Herman, 45, said there are about 500 households in the neighbourhood.

“All the people here are renting lots where they have built wooden and brick houses.

“Most of the people here are in the B40 group and need food aid. Some work in factories and construction, and there are also odd-job workers,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Hisno said this is the third time this year TLFP has delivered food to his neighbourhood – something that will probably continue on a monthly basis.

“We distribute the food through the residents’ association,” he said.

“We usually get about 80 to 100 families coming for the items.

“The people here still need some form of food aid. We get goods from other civil groups as well.

“We are grateful to get whatever. If there is food, the people will definitely come for it.”

Hisno said some people have asked for help to repair their homes.

“We try to help them but the high cost of living has also affected us. Previously, if we give RM50, they can buy many things, but now it is limited because prices have gone up.

’Some are getting welfare aid but they need more. The people here also get aid from Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

“Programmes like these will help cut down their spending.”

In an earlier interview, TLFP chief executive officer Ariffin Buranudeen said the number of people needing food aid has grown by 30% in the past 12 months.

He said last year, TLFP obtained 16,000 tonnes of food. In 2021, it was 12,000 tonnes.

The group now helps 20,000 recipients a month.

Flood damage

Kampung Petaling Bahagia residents’ association chairman Mohamed Zaidi Md Ali said food aid is still lacking.

“This aid is giving us a little bit of relief. The people here could also use some monetary and infrastructure aid to repair their homes.”

He said most of the houses in the area were damaged in the December 2020 floods.

“There is more work to be done. We were told we were supposed to get RM2,500 in aid from the Federal Territories Ministry in 2021, but that’s no more.

“So we checked with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, but it said our case is closed. We are not sure how to get the aid.”

Another resident, Fatimah Hambali, 35, said the people in the area need dry food products.

“This programme (TLFP) is good. This is the third time they have come to give aid. I have five children between the ages of six months and 15 years.”

Able Dairies vice-president (commercial) Ahmad Farid Kamarudin said his group is running a programme in the neighbourhood to raise awareness on nutrition.

“We are here to give out 1,500 one-litre chocolate milk cartons as part of our programme and pledge to save food.

“We want to create more awareness about how to save food. Wastage has been increasing at an alarming rate, so we wanted to use this programme to help the people,” he said at the site.

Farid said his company wants to reduce operational wastage. 

“This milk expires in two months, but if kept properly, it can last six months. 

“This is an ongoing programme for us and we will be giving out milk again next week in another area.” – May 18, 2023.