Village head converts home into food aid distribution centre
SHAH ALAM: While many people are staying home amid the Covid19 pandemic, Kampung Bukit Naga village head Abdurrahman Misbah, 49, has opened up his house and turned it into a food aid distribution centre for the needy.
Abdurrahman did not hesitate to make his single-storey terrace house in Jalan Sungai Long, Taman Bukit Naga, here as a collection centre since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced on March 18.
The father of six does not mind the sight of an overwhelming supply of food items — such as rice, flour, bread, milk, cooking oil and vermicelli — piled up in his front porch, which were contributed by Sungai Kandis assemblyman Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, the public, grocery shops, as well as corporate companies such as Gardenia Bakeries.
Although everyone needed to protect themselves from the virus, he said: “I feel it is more convenient for aid recipients to come to my house to get daily essentials. The gate to my house is opened from 5.30pm to 7pm daily for 20 to 30 heads of households to come and collect the food aid.
“As the village head, people here know where I live, so it is easier for them to look for me. This way, I can attend to their needs more easily. I and several volunteers take precautionary measures when we distribute the food aid.
“These include wearing face masks and practising social distancing, as well as ensuring the aid recipients are provided with sanitiser.”
He said he would try to distribute the food aid quickly and ensure that his children remained in his house.
“When the distribution is over, I disinfect my porch, floor, gates, tables and chairs,” he told the
New Straits Times recently. He said each family was given food aid worth RM50.
For them to receive the aid, he said, all they needed to do was to contact him via WhatsApp.
The number of families requesting the food aid has increased as the MCO was extended twice and has now entered into
its third phase.
He said on some days, there were as many as 50 household heads, including foreigners, coming to collect the food aid.
“More are asking if I can give them more food. We help them as much as we can as many of them have lost their jobs and source of income during the MCO period.
“The people living here consist of the urban poor, odd-job workers and single mothers.
“I do my best to help them as it is my responsibility. Some told me they had no more money to buy powdered milk for their toddlers and that their children had no food to eat.
“I do not have the heart to see them suffer and will find ways to help them, regardless of their nationality.
“Thankfully, the communities have been generous with their donations and their kind gesture has allowed us to continue providing for needy families.”