With Ramadan season merely days away, it's a good time to remind ourselves of the plight of those around us and how we can be the best people we can be and assist those who need it the most. For those of us who have been blessed with more fortunate lives than others, it's an opportunity to give back to the community and there are indeed a multitude of ways we can go about that.

Locating Specific Donating Centres

This year, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) have dedicated particular areas within Kuala Lumpur to donate generously for the month of Ramadan. Former Minister of Health and current Minister in the Prime Minister's department, Dr. Zaliha Mustafa, has specified three locations where non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals will be able to send their donations this month. Anjung Kembara at the Kuala Lumpur Transit Centre for the Homeless, Medan Tuanku Homeless Service Centre and Chow Kit Community Learning Centre will now be the central locations for contributions during the upcoming season.

"This is part of an initiative to control food quality and maintain cleanliness in Kuala Lumpur", she stated to reporters while participating at an operation helping the homeless earlier today in the city centre. Dr. Zaliha also stated that DBKL will be working with 10 NGO's to smoothen the process of the distribution of food at the Medan Tuanku Homeless Service Centre and the Chow Kit Community Learning Center, while another 16 NGOs will assist the National Welfare Foundation (YKN) at Anjung Kembara.

Dr. Zaliha communicated to the press, "We cant stop the NGOs that want to help. All we are asking is for their cooperation to liaise with the Community Development and Urban Wellbeing Department at DBKL."

An Operation To Help

The operation, which involved 203 personnel from DBKL, the Royal Malaysia Police, the National Security Council, YKN, the Malaysian Immigration Department, the National Registration Department, the National Anti-Drug Agency and the Social Welfare Department , began this morning at 1AM. Dr Zaliha specified that a total of 150 homeless people were gathered and escorted to the Medan Tuanku Homeless Service Center by 2.30 am and she expected the number to increase before the operation concluded at 4 am. 

Based on observations made on February 14th 2023, she also stated that 414 homeless people were recorded in five hotspot locations around the city, adding that the homeless were brought to Medan Tuanku to record their demographic data, as well as to identify the best solution to help them. The ministry as well as agencies will also be used as a reference when reviewing the requirements of existing policies and regulations. 

With these locations now in place, we highly urge you to spare a thought for those in need around you and give back wherever you can, because as the old adage goes, every little bit counts. 

(Story first reported by Bernama)