M’sian Helps Starving Foreign Workers Who Have No Wage During MCO By Giving Them Free Food

I believe a true test to our humanities come during the most dire of times, and it’s safe to say that Malaysians have more than enough compassion to go around despite our different backgrounds.

According to the Star online, this man helped out a bunch of foreign workers who had not enough money to even have proper meals. Since the 18th of March when the MCO first came into place due to the brutal Covid-19 outbreak, small businesses have been closed, including those involved in woodwork, welding and other forms of menial labour.

To be so poor

The inability of these migrant workers to get their daily wages came in the way of them feeding themselves and their families. As a matter of fact, their families who live in huts built from scrap wood on the outskirts of Port Klang have, since the MCO, plucked kangkong near streams, pisang tanduk and papaya growing in the wild, to make as meals.

One Indonesian wood craftsman noted that there were in total of 76 families with children living in a cluster of wooden huts and they all were forced to survive on one meal a day.

“It has been difficult for all of us with the MCO as we are not paid a wage. For the first week, we all put together a small amount of cash to get some bags of rice. We cook the rice and eat it with kangkong and semi-ripe papaya,” he said.

Another two of them also added that they have been living in Port Klang for three years and this is the first time they have had to go through this much of hardship.

A beacon of hope

However, they received a grand blessing last week when a real estate agent, Philip Andrew De Silva, came to their rescue with packs of good food. The father of two, arranged with friends in Petaling Jaya to prepare meals which were individually packed to be handed out to each family.

“It is heart-wrenching to see people going hungry, especially children. As a Catholic, I just want to help people struggling in this current time. I get the fresh vegetables and meat, and with the help of friends who volunteer to cook, it makes it easier for me to bring packed food to the families.

“These foreign workers total about 180 individuals involved in odd jobs or work at factories. Without a daily wage, these people are stranded. I have handed them some rations and packets of cooked meals”, he said.

The 54-year-old also stated that the same help was given to another group of foreign workers with their families off Jalan Langat and that he would continue to help till the MCO is lifted, urging Malaysians to come together and help the needy during these trying times.

Here’s to being grateful

The workers were more than grateful for his kindness. One Mohd Shyamim, a Bangladeshi even voiced his gratitude.

“We are thankful that there are kind Malaysians who help. Without our daily earnings, we are unable to buy food, and now the situation is worse as the MCO has been extended to April 28,” said Shyamim, who has been living in Malaysia for 12 years.

Good Samaritans like Philip is more of what this world needs. Going out of one’s way to help those in need is the emblem of true goodness, and even if we are unable to do that, let us all learn to be just a little bit more grateful for what we do have, given the fact that there are many out there who do not share the same privilege. 

Also read: Kind PDRM Officers Help Wandering Mum & Her Baby On The Streets, Buy Them Food & Diapers