GEORGE TOWN, Feb 2 — A Kuantan cafe, ‘Watak Kopi’, has set up a food bank outside its premises to offer food and personal care items to the needy and those badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The hipster cafe is located at Jalan Besar, Kuantan.

According to Sinar Harian, the cafe’s owner Ahmad Dainey Zainuddin and his business partner Md Syukri Maskur started the initiative after Pahang state went under the movement control order (MCO) on January 22.

“We felt very sympathetic towards many who had lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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“With only RM200 in hand, we bought necessities such as personal care products and food items such as rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil and dry food items.”

He added that some people  even travelled more than 10 kilometres to pick up the food items while others have also come with their children even when it was raining heavily just to get some items.

“I’ve seen some people who have come to the cafe a few times to take the groceries but told my staff to not question them or stop them from taking more items.

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“Some who came were also shy to enter to take the items but what my staff and I did was to make them feel comfortable and told them to take as many items as they wanted.

“I don’t know what their financial situation is at home, which is why there are no restrictions as to how many items they can take each time they enter the cafe.”

Ahmad Dainey added that he was fortunate to receive donations and food items from the public after many saw the food bank located in front of the cafe.