I recently noticed a community food pantry in place while driving past a neighbourhood park near my house. It was well stocked and well organised. Nobody was manning the food pantry and there was a sign to inform recipients to take the products if needed.
The communal food aid concept is not new. I have seen it before in government offices fondly known as gerobok rezeki. However, the food pantry movement resonates loudly in these trying times where lives and livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and must be highly commended and, if possible, intensified.
It obviously employed the ‘give what you can and take what you need’ concept, and what actually tugged on my heartstrings is that the whole initiative served as a reminder of how Malaysians are strongly united when it comes to helping those in need. I can say that the food pantry sprouted out of kindness and the only currency in play is trust and sincerity.
Let me remind everyone that we still have each other to rely on. There is a strong sense of unity within our community. I humbly urge those affected by the pandemic to not give up hope prematurely. We live in a multiracial community that values togetherness and brotherhood.
We are halfway through the year and the nation’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Let us all unite, play our respective parts, adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and be part of a concerted effort to help the authorities bring down the high number of positive cases.
Adherence to the SOPs is more crucial now more than ever. We need to learn from past mistakes. Non-compliance is costly where the ultimate price to pay is with human lives. So, please spare a thought for humanity and more so our frontliners, who are battling tooth and nail to protect and save lives.
Our unity births hope and serves as a source of strength for us to overcome this storm together.
Yeap Ming Liong
