PETALING JAYA, May 29 ― Rice, being the staple food in Malaysia is readily available.

But not everyone can afford to buy it to feed their hungry families.

Recently, initiatives like a rice auto teller machine (ATM) has been started to help the needy out in obtaining rice.

One corporate example is Sunway Group as they presented Masjid Al-Husna in Bandar Sunway with 1,500 kilogrammes of rice and a rice ATM.

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As part of their #sunwayforgood Raya Cheer 2019 initiatives which aims to reach out to 11,520 Malaysians, the group lent a helping hand to the mosque and 100 members of the community around it with the gift of rice, a symbol of nourishment, health and life.

Among the recipients was Ismail Mohd Razali who yestereday received his first two kilogrammes of donated rice during the launch.

Harun Mat, Rofeah Yahaya, Salbiah Puteh and Abdul Rahim Abdul Malek were among the other beneficiaries in attendance along with Ismail.

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They were presented with special cards issued by the mosque to use the new rice dispensing machine which can hold up to 200 kilogrammes at one time.

“This means a lot to all of us. I am very grateful that they (Sunway Group) would think of us. Now we can get rice easily from the masjid,” said Ismail.

Sunway Group deputy chairman, Tan Sri Razman Hisham presenting, beneficiary Ismail Mohd Razali with his 2 kilogrammes of rice from the new rice ATM at Masjid Al-Husna, Bandar Sunway.
Sunway Group deputy chairman, Tan Sri Razman Hisham presenting, beneficiary Ismail Mohd Razali with his 2 kilogrammes of rice from the new rice ATM at Masjid Al-Husna, Bandar Sunway.

Like Ismail, all the other beneficiaries that have been selected by the mosque will be issued a card to use the machine.

This card entitles two kilogrammes of rice to each family every week and can be collected at the mosque every Friday.

All the cardholder has to do is to come to the mosque, walk up to the machine, tap the card on the screen and then collect the rice.

A total of 450 volunteers from Sunway City Kuala Lumpur travelled to the nearby mosque yesterday not only to donate rice and unveil the new rice ATM, but also to distribute 1,000 packets of “bubur lambuk” to members of the community.

“There is a difference between doing well and doing good, and we are excited to be the first corporate company to sponsor this rice ATM programme,” said Sunway Group deputy chairman Tan Sri Razman Hashim, who was among the volunteers from the group.

The event started off with Razman presenting the senior administrator of the mosque, Alfian Izaz Abdul Halim, with the gift of the rice ATM, as well as 1,500 kilogrammes of rice to give them a head start in their bid to serve the members of the community that have been selected by the mosque.

“Masjid Al-Husna has always been a shelter for the most needy in our community. With this blessing of a rice ATM, we can now reach out to even more members of our community who need help the most,” said Alfian.

According to Alfian, many people donate rice to the mosque all the time, so having the new machine would help them distribute it to the needy both fairly and efficiently.

After the unveiling of the rice ATM, Razman assisted some of the chefs from Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa to cook “bubur lambuk” made up of 63 kilogrammes of rice, 63 litres of coconut milk, 20 kilogrammes of beef, and a variety of herbs and spices.

Razman helps the chefs from Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa to stir the large pot of ‘bubur lambuk’ before it was distributed to the community.
Razman helps the chefs from Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa to stir the large pot of ‘bubur lambuk’ before it was distributed to the community.

A total of 1,000 packets of “bubur lambuk” were distributed to the members of the community, mosque-goers and people who visited a bazaar in front of the mosque.

Sunway Group plans to donate a total of eight rice ATMs and 8,000 kilogrammes of rice across the country for the “asnaf” (eligible to receive aid) and B40 groups across the country, under their #sunwayforgood Raya Cheer 2019 initiatives.

The rice ATM unveiled yesterday at Masjid Al-Husna was the first of its kind in Klang Valley, with the group also about to unveil another one today at a mosque in Wangsa Maju.

They have already set up rice ATMs in Selangor, Penang and Johor, with plans to place two more machines in Perak as well.