KUALA LUMPUR: Food supply for some 1,000 Rohingya families living in Selayang and Gombak has run out after they lost their source of income following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Most of them are odd job workers, who depend on daily wages and now have no more money to pay for rent or buy their daily essentials after being jobless for the past two weeks.
Rafik Shah Mohd Ismail, a Rohingya community leader attached to Pertubuhan Amal dan Kemanusiaan Selangor (HASS), said most of the affected Rohingya work as cleaners, scrap metal pickers or food stall workers.
“Since the MCO was enforced, they are unable to work and this means they do not have any money to buy food and drinks. There are those who had not eaten for a day or two,” Rafik told Berita Harian today.
He expressed concern that if the affected families are not given any immediate assistance, they would have no choice but to venture out of their homes to look for food.
He adds that this increases the risk of being infected with Covid-19 or potentially spreading the infection.
Rafik Shah also revealed that he had taken 93 Rohingyas who attended the tabligh gathering in Masjid Seri Petaling for Covid-19 screenings.
“For now, none of them were tested positive. And the number of those who were at the tabligh assembly was 93 and not 200 or even 2,000 as said,” he clarified.
Jamilah Esup, 21, a mother of two who lives in Kampung Sri Makmur said she was facing problems with her rental payments.
“My family has no more food, milk and diapers. We are at our wits end and are cracking our heads on how we are going to settle the RM400 monthly house rent,” she said, adding that her husband earned RM50 a day working at a nearby food stall.
Abdul Subi, 28, said he was worried over the possibility that the MCO which is now into its third week, might be extended further than its April 14 deadline.
“I have no money left to meet my child’s needs and my wife is pregnant with our second baby.
“I am grateful for HASS’ aid and hope the Covid-19 pandemic will end soon. This is so that I can return to work,” he said.
Rafik Shah was met when he, along with a group of Rohingya volunteers, distributed 100 food essential packs comprising of vermicelli and instant noodles, rice, cooking oil, canned sardines, dhal and sugar in Kampung Sungai Chinchin and Kampung Sri Makmur in Gombak.
HASS, added Rafik Shah, has spent RM60,000 which was contributed by the public to assist some 1,000 Rohingya families with food supply since the first week of the MCO, which was enforced on March 18.
The food essential pack would last for a week for each family and HASS will continue to provide the necessities until the MCO is lifted.
Rafik Shah said they have obtained the necessary approvals from the authorities for the distribution and that they are adhering to the procedures set by the Health Ministry, as well as practicing social distancing.
He also reminded Rohingya families to obey the directive of the authorities and stay at home, as well as putting on face masks if they need to be outdoors.