Malaysia has several programs designed to try and make sure that food goes to those in need, whatever their circumstances. One such local project is a joint program involving the Rotary Club of Johor Centennial, the Maslee supermarket chain, and the Community Services Committee of the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC). You may have seen metal baskets, such as the one above, outside the larger supermarkets in Johor, and wondered what they are for? Well, ‘memberi’ means ‘give’ and the process is simple. When you are shopping, consider buying an extra non-perishable item which you leave in the metal bin, and then an NGO and/or the supermarket chain will assist in distributing it to those in need. The typical ranges of items would include, rice, noodles, flour, sugar, cooking oil, Milo, etc.
When I say the system is simple, it overlooks the more complex aspects of distribution and the selection of recipients. This is where the MRC and the Rotary Club work in synergy. Yesterday I joined Rosly and Alex, of the MRC, as we headed off to the Masai region to the east of Johor Bahru. As we are approaching the Chinese New Year, the MRC will attempt to make sure that at least 70% of their work at this time is targetted towards the Chinese community in Malaysia. So, we started off by buying some mandarin oranges from a branch of Maslee, and then waited for Fancy Tan and Mary Jaya of the Rotary Club. It was then that we discovered that Maslee have many branches in this district and we were at the wrong one! A little drive later and we arrived at another branch of Maslee where we found Fancy and Mary, gathered together the donated food items, and moved them to our vehicle.
Shop 2….
Shop 3….
Shop 4 (Taman Dahia)….
While the collection of food items requires coordination, manpower, and a sturdy vehicle, selection of recipients is a much more complex matter. The purpose behind this food bank initiative is to help those who find themselves in difficulty through force of circumstance. The hope is that the help is of a temporary nature allowing the recipients time to regain employment or find alternative sources for long term support. Today we had time to visit two families, and more families were scheduled for a visits over the next few days.
There is a specific Malay term of ‘Muhibbah’ which encompasses the concept of living in harmony and caring for one another. So, in the true Malaysian spirit of muhibbah, our visit today to Chinese families was undertaken by Malay, Chinese, and Indian Malaysians (and myself as the mat salleh) in the hope that we might bring some cheer to the less fortunate.
Our first visit was to this gentleman who had lost a foot to diabetes and was now on dialysis too due to diabetes-associated kidney failure. His wife is now the main breadwinner in the family with several children to support. With the incidence of diabetes in Malaysia being among the highest in the world, it is likely that more people will find themselves in a similar situation unless more is done to help educate the population on the dangers of this disorder if left undiagnosed. This gentlemen was a lorry driver, and now spends his time looking after dogs, making small items such as floor mats, and doing the house work.
Our second visit was to a family of four where they too received groceries, oranges, cookies and Ang Pow red envelops. The parents have children in their early 40’s, their daughter has severe cerebral palsy and their son is mentally challenged, and so both are still totally dependent on their parents. They do not have the energy left to both work and care for their sons, so life is hard. Despite their troubles, these lovely people insisted on giving us each an orange and tea drink from the goodie bags we gave them.
So, if you see any of these food baskets while shopping, please give a thought to adding something from your own shopping basket. And, if you hear of anyone in difficulty who might benefit from the help provided by the MRC and the Rotary Club members, please do get in touch with either of these organisations so that no one is left out.
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The kind volunteers continued to support other Chinese families in the district in the run up to Chinese New Year. Here are a few photos from my colleagues…
During the Chinese festive season, the MRC focusses their activity on the Chinese community, but other deserving groups are still included as the MRC serves all Malaysians.
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