The Malaysian Insight

SOUP kitchens have mixed views on Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) directive to stop direct food distribution to the homeless during Ramadan.

The move is aimed at charity groups and individuals who feed the homeless in an ad hoc manner, unlike organisations with food lines at fixed locations.

On one hand, banning direct food distribution will help keep the streets clean, but it can cause other problems, said Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dan Kebajikan Umum Malaysia (PKKUM) founder Elisha Kor Krishnan.

“A lot of individuals distribute food to the homeless directly, resulting in littering. Although It is a good move by authorities to set up specific locations for food distribution, it can also cause overcrowding 

“And the homeless who do not have their own transport will find it difficult to get food,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

PKKUM currently provides meals three times daily to about 100 people in the Chow Kit area who have lost their income due to the movement control order (MCO). They comprise the homeless, senior citizens, people with disabilities and small traders.

By the prohibition, DBKL hopes to prevent wastage as well as to curb the spread of Covid-19. 

It has ordered food distribution to only take place at homeless transit centres im Jalan Pahang and Medan Tuanku, as well as the Community Learning Centre in Chow Kit.

Those who want to donate food to the homeless should call 03-2617 6321 to schedule their activities, and those who fail to abide by the directive could face enforcement actions, DBKL said.

Munirah Abdul Hamid, the founder of another established soup kitchen, Pertiwi, said problems with cleanliness stem from excessive duplication in distribution which leads to food wastage.

“Ad hoc groups who (distribute food) refuse to collaborate with DBKL so we understand city hall’s frustration.

“We have even had to go and collect uneaten and discarded spoiled food which ends up in the bins,” she said.

Another problem, Munirah added, was that towards the end of Ramadan, “syndicates” appear to collect zakat (alms) which they say is for the poor.

Meanwhile, Social and Enabling Environment Development (Seed) founder Mitch Yusof said it was high time city hall sat down with various charity groups to discuss food distribution, rather than ban directing handing out of meals.

“Not all homeless, B40 and the socially excluded community have transport. Some are not able to walk, there are those that have other physical disabilities and are elderly, so we can’t expect them to walk to a specific location. – April 11, 2021. 

He added that limiting food distribution to only two homeless transit centres as fixed locations for food distribution will cause overcrowding. – April 11, 2021.