Businessmen turn good Samaritans to help the needy amid pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic and the various movement control orders over the past year have have had a severe impact on many.

Most Malaysians in the bottom 40% (B40) income group have been struggling with financial difficulties due to loss of jobs.

Many are on the verge of poverty, finding it difficult to put food on the table for their families each day.

Two good Samaritans have started a food aid initiative to do their part and help the B40 families. Dato Sri Dr Nageswaran Ravi, the CEO of PLT Group of Companies and Dato Sri Dr Thanabalan Balagopalan, the managing director of Rishen Jewellers started this initiative to help these families tide through these difficult times.

Together with their associates Barnikumar Harry, CEO of Harry International Talents and Dr Gunaseelan Suppiah of Pertubuhan Born To Serve, they launched a B40 food bank (groceries) and humanity drive for 300 families in the Klang Valley with the intention to provide at least 150 meals per day for ten days amidst nationwide lockdown.

“It’s our collective responsibility to do whatever we can within our means to help our fellow man,” the group stated their sincerity.

The essential grocery packs were distributed at various locations in Subang Jaya, Desa Mentari, Puchong, Sentul, Bandar Tun Razak, Klang, Sungai Way, Sepang, Ampang and Jalan Ipoh, from June 21 – June 30, 2021.

The group also provided one month’s worth of grocery supplies at several orphanages including Rumah Anak Yatim Sai Pandian in Setia Alam, Sri Samartha Sadhguru Sridi Sai Centre in Puchong Utama and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak Selangor in Klang.

They also organized Covid-19 test for 42 kids at Pertubuhan Kabajikan Kanak-Kanak Selangor, and the entire home was sanitized to protect the children from the coronavirus.

The group also managed to purchase and provide three wheelchairs for the physically challenged during their noble endeavour.

Also supporting this project as a collective effort were prominent personalities that included Dr Rajeswaran Krishnan (Blues Brothers Association), N. Shanmugam (Malaysia India Today), Karunity Saravanam Ilaya Thalamurai (Advisor of Pertubuhan Ilaya Thalai Murai), Datuk Ganesh Kumar (Majlis Belia Sepang), Barthiban Kanmani (Kuil Sri Pathra Kaliamman), Nalini Rajaindran (Ampang) and Malaysia Kalai Ulagam (MKU).

According to Dr Nageswaran and Dr Thanabalan, the aid initiative was just a small initial effort to help the needy and more is being planned.

“We encourage more business people to support the government in helping all those in need. We also suggest that the government provides tax exemptions or relief for these life-giving charity programs,” echoed the pair.