Stay at home: List of help for needy groups, frontliners

• This story was originally published on March 22. It will be updated to reflect the latest initiatives

CORONAVIRUS | Malaysia's effort to flatten the Covid-19 infections curve has seen the government call into force a movement control order from March 18 to March 31 that has now been extended to April 14.

From Day One the message is for all - who are not involved in any essential services or urgent matters - to stay at home throughout the entire period.

Groups including health care practitioners and journalists out on the field have also taken to social media with a general message that they will go to work so that more can remain at home.

At the same time, various groups and kind-hearted individuals have taken the initiative to support the frontliners on duty, as well as other vulnerable groups stuck at home or are homeless.

Malaysiakini highlights a growing list of efforts by groups and individuals keen to help, or are in need of help.

Since the order was enforced, groups that worked closely with marginalised and at-risk communities have stepped up their efforts to ensure their operations continue, although at a reduced scale.

Other newer initiatives were also set up through crowdsourcing ventures, after taking into account restrictions under the order.

Free meals and grocery delivery

1. Based in Johor Baru, Engage and partner Friends & Strangers: #MakanKongsi produces food vouchers for the needy.

It works with restaurants and food stalls to provide meals to vulnerable communities for the duration of the MCO through food vouchers that are date and meal specified, much like hotel breakfast vouchers.

Restaurants are reimbursed based on the number of vouchers collected, calculated at RM4 per meal.

For the latest updates on #MakanKongsi, visit Engage's Facebook page. NGO Bersih is collaborating with Engage to raise RM200,000 to expand the programme.

2. Local social enterprise PichaEats offers a free meal initiative for refugees, stranded university students and frontliners.

Parties keen to support PichaEat's refugee-run initiative can contribute to its Maybank account.

3. Subang Jaya Gurdwara offers a free meal delivery service for residents around Subang Jaya and Sunway who are unable to cook their own meals due to old age or disabilities.

Contact Amrick Singh: 012-5389061

4. NGO Pertubuhan Warga Prihatin Hulu Langat buys and delivers essential foodstuffs to the needy in Hulu Langat, including Orang Asli and B40 communities.

Support them here.

5. The Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS) is appealing for funds to feed the 12 gibbons under its care. 

Based in Pahang, it also needs help feeding its guard dogs.

Support them here.

6. The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) needs help to keep operations alive.

Based in Sepilok, Sabah; it rehabilitated 43 sun bears who were rescued from captivity as pets and the illegal wildlife trade.

Support them here.

7. With the Movement Control Order extended until April 14, concerns arise over the disruption of food supply to one’s neighbour such as in Selangor. How about single mothers with children? The disabled or elderly who lie bedridden?

Concerned members of the public can help them by becoming volunteers and reporting their plight to the Selangor Covid-19 Task Force via this online form.

With help from members of the public, aid can be channelled to those in need.

Frontliner support

1. The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) charity arm - the MMA Foundation - is teaming up with e-retailer Shopee to form a fund that would go towards the welfare of healthcare workers affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Donations can be channelled through Shopee's app or website. Donations of RM100 and above will come with a receipt for tax exemption purposes.

MMA and MMA Foundation has contributed RM50,000 to kick off the fund.

2. Team 106 is a crowdfunding initiative to support Meals for Medics to supply meals for healthcare workers on duty at the Covid-19 wards, starting from within the Klang Valley first, then all over Malaysia.

Funds raised may also be used to purchase items required by the hospitals.

3. A group of women refugees from Syria, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq are cooking meals for frontline staff at Ampang Hospital until March 31. The initiative is a collaboration between Al-Hasan Volunteer Network and Beyond Borders Malaysia.

4. Individual crowdfunding: To purchase masks, hand sanitisers and feed frontliners on duty. 

5. Taking into account the limited supply of face masks and other safety gears, local social enterprise Biji-Biji has teamed up with a group of volunteers to produce protective face shields for Covid-19 frontliners. As part of the process, the group is seeking donations in the form of raw materials to make the face shields. 

6. Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) has come up with an innovative 3D printing method capable of creating hundreds of pieces of protective face shields a day for frontliners in the battle against Covid-19.

The university’s mechanical engineering faculty creates the facial protectors which are then sent to frontliners nationwide.

Members of the public interested in contributing to UiTM's Covid-19 Special Fund for these 3D printed protective face shields can get further details at the university’s Instagram account.

Queries on the initiative and how to donate can also be made to Prof Muhammad Hussain Ismail at +6014-646 8945, Dr Helmi Rashid at +6019-276 5989,and Mohd Izwan at +6018-259 7864.

Politicians

Several politicians have announced initiatives to assist their constituents, particularly in the distribution of face masks and hand sanitisers, as well as free grocery delivery services.

Constituents living in their respective areas can refer to their elected representatives' individual pages for further details:

1. Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim: Port Dickson residents can contact the service centre representative, Boy Fadzrie at 018-242853 for more details.

2. Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

3. Balik Pulau MP Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik.

4. Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

5. Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

6. Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil.

See here for an initial list of initiatives.

More resources are also available at: https://www.kitajaga.us

Keep up with the latest information on the outbreak in the country with Malaysiakini's free Covid-19 tracker.

Malaysiakini is providing free access to the most important updates on the coronavirus pandemic. You can find them here.

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