KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Social enterprise founder William Cheah and his crew from Kembara Kitchen surprised policemen and journalists keeping watch on Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house in Taman Duta here today with parcels of piping hot food just before buka puasa.
After hours of the blazing hot sun followed by rain, those on duty broke into wide smiles as they accepted the proffered packets containing seafood fried rice, tofu, and lor bak with gratitude.
Kembara Kitchen is better known for its weekly volunteer programme feeding the city’s homeless and providing for those displaced by disaster, like the flood victims in Penang and Kelantan in past years.
But this time around, Cheah said the kitchen prepared the food as a gesture of thanks to the press and policemen who have been working round the clock outside Najib’s house.
“It is not an easy job, under the sun and the rain. Malaysians have forgotten you guys, but you are heroes. Especially during the puasa month, it’s difficult for you to leave here and grab a meal,” Cheah said as he handed out the food parcels.
He also thanked the journalists for being the people’s eyes and ears on the ground.
This is not the first time Kembara Kitchen has dished out free meals to the press. They had previously prepared food for the media keeping watch outside the North Korean Embassy here during world coverage of the assassination of Kim Jong-nam last year.
“If I could, I would do this every day but I can’t. In the very least, we owe you a meal for your efforts,” Cheah added.
Reporters and cameramen have been keeping watch outside the house on Jalan Langgak Duta in shifts since Wednesday, when police conducted a search of the mansion and carted off 52 luxury handbags, 10 luxury watches and cash in various currencies amounting to RM623,747.
Najib is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA) 2001.
For an offence under Section 4(1) of the AMLATFA, those convicted can be jailed up to 15 years and a fined not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of an unlawful activity or instrumentalities at the time the offence was committed or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reopened investigations into the multi-billion dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal after returning to the office he vacated 15 years ago after winning the May 9 general election. But he said any action taken will wholly be by the book.
