LANGKAWI – With little to no international tourists for more than a year, many tourism players have retreated to set up stalls outside their homes, selling homemade food to passersby to survive. Meor Ezammer, co-founder of Ash Majid, a bespoke batik retailer, decided that something had to be done to regulate the micro economy in Langkawi.
“Before this current movement control order (MCO), we have organised a daily food bank where people came to pick up the food packs repackaged by us.
“We distributed rice, two cans of sardines, salt, sugar and eggs as a daily portion so that more people could benefit from it. If they need more, they can come back the next day to get more from us.
“However, there is a lot of manpower need to organise this food bank. In fact, it takes hours,” he said.
Along with the owner of The Cabin Langkawi, Datuk Azly Rosly, they had to manage a team to ensure the daily supplies for 300 to 400 people were packed every day. However, it all stopped when the most recent MCO was announced as they could not gather.
“I had to think of other ways to help the people in need. I also saw how these food sellers are struggling too. At the same time, I see people who have a steady stream of income who would gladly help those in need.
“That was when I started this food basket initiative that can, in a small way, maintain the micro economy in Langkawi.”
He has rallied 14 shops around the island at the time of writing, most of them selling local food such as putu piring, nasi lemak and a selection of kuih. These sellers would encourage their customers to buy a little extra on top of their orders. The extra will be placed in the food basket to aid those who cannot afford to put food on the table.
“All they need is a basket and our poster.
“So if they have a regular that always buys two packets of nasi lemak, they can now buy three, where one goes as a contribution to the food basket. That way, it is also extra income to the seller.
“We started this four days ago with five shops, and we got feedback from sellers telling us that their food was sold out and the donated food was also fully taken.”
Because of the positive outcome of his initiative, he is continuing his efforts by going all over Langkawi, speaking to shop owners, getting them involved. He has also received a few calls from shop owners themselves, requesting to join this initiative because they heard that it was profitable.
“We provide those who need aid with cooked food, and they can scout around for a variety of food and not just have rice with sardines or salted fish every day.
“Plus, we need to understand that those who are needy may not have the means to afford gas or have a stove in the house,” he said.
Meor hopes that this food basket initiative will expand to the whole island so it can help businesses and the poor.
“If there are vendors that have additional food in their basket, they can contact me, and I will post it up on our Facebook so that the food can be channelled to those who need it,” he explained.
It is not only those in Langkawi who are chipping in. Meor said that his clientele from Kuala Lumpur have offered to buy food aid from the stores he posts up on the Facebook page. He would then purchase the food items and place them in the food basket of the respective store.
Those who are interested to donate to this initiative can head over to Food Bank Chenang's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/foodbankchenang. – The Vibes, July 12, 2021.
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