KUCHING: Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda) Kuching branch may consider further extending its ‘Sharing is Caring’ free packed lunch programme if the current movement control order (MCO) continues.
“If the MCO is extended, we will look at it again. We will call up our sponsors and see whether they want to continue with this programme.
“Hopefully nobody goes hungry and nobody suffers during this MCO,” said its chairman Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok when distributing free packed lunch sets at Mom’s Laksa, Jalan Semarak here on Saturday (June 26).
The free meal campaign started on June 18 and was initially scheduled to end on June 24, providing a total of 300 sets of free packed lunch daily at five Premier Food Republic outlets located at RH Plaza, BDC; RH Park, 9th Mile; Emart Batu Kawa; Kota Samarahan; and Tabuan Tranquility.
However, after listening to the struggles faced by recipients, Sheda Kuching branch decided to extend the programme until June 28, with two Mom’s Laksa outlets (Jalan Semarak and Jalan Astana) also joining in starting June 25 to complement the distribution at the Premier Food Republic outlets.
The free packed lunch sets, which include a drink, can be collected from 10am onwards on a first come, first served basis.
These are limited to 300 sets per day respectively for the five Premier Food Republic outlets and the two Mom’s Laksa outlets, coming to a total of 600 sets distributed per day – covering both the Kuching City North and South areas.
Sim said that 150 packs of food were available at each of the two participating Mom’s Laksa outlets.
“We thank the government that the vaccination plan is going accordingly. But in the meantime, there are people who are suffering.
“The government has provided food aid such as rice and other essentials, but these have to be cooked. Some people don’t have kitchens so they would need instant meals. That is why we are here to help by providing these free packed lunch sets,” he said.
This meal aid 2.0 is sponsored by numerous Sheda members – Sinar Mekar Properties, Petra Jaya Properties, Hock Peng Realty, Oricon, Benta Mewah, Kenbest Sdn Bhd – as well as generous anonymous donors.
Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman also sponsored face masks which were distributed together with the lunch sets at Mom’s Laksa.
Sim hoped this campaign would help to fill in the gap before the cash handout assistance from the government is rolled out in July.
Through the programme, he said they were able to not only provide assistance to those in need but also generate business for the food stalls at the participating outlets.
At the same time, he also expressed happiness as he had noticed via Facebook that a number of associations and people are conducting similar distributions of cooked food for those in need.
