Once hungry himself, Fadzil now feeds Penang’s poor

 Trader Fadzil Wahab runs a 'surprise' food mission for B40 communities and dreams of serving free meals 24 hours a day to those in need.

Fadzil Wahab is the founder of ‘Nasi Kandar Bergerak’, a free-food initiative that brings meals directly to low-income communities. (Fadzil Wahab pic)

GEORGE TOWN:

 As a boy, Fadzil Wahab often had to survive on just RM2 a day. That money had to cover three meals – usually a single roti canai spread across breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today, after years of building a livelihood, the 45-year-old trader from Dhobi Ghat here hopes to someday run a 24-hour outlet that serves free meals to anyone in need.

“I want to serve hot meals where the fire of the stove never goes off,” he told FMT.

It is a dream born out of hardship. When people ask why he gives food away for free, Fadzil has a simple answer: “I lived my life through hunger.”

Indeed, his father worked odd jobs, and going hungry was part of life growing up.

This memory drives “Nasi Kandar Bergerak”, his free-food initiative run out of a food truck that brings meals directly to low-income communities.

Rather than operating from a fixed location, Fadzil goes to B40 areas, often giving just an hour or two of advanced notice on social media before arriving.

This short notice is intentional: the visits are meant to be a surprise. “We announce it on TikTok before we go. Then people in the area will know we are coming,” he said.

Fadzil’s goal is to provide food with dignity, which is why he ensures each serving feels like a proper meal, cooked with care. (Fadzil Wahab pic)

During Ramadan, the food runs were held once a week. Previously, he would do them every other day, limited only by cost. Given the chance, he said, he would do it every day.

The initiative began during the Covid-19 lockdown, when Fadzil and his family cooked for about 50 people in the vicinity of Komtar.

“It started with 50 people, then 100, then 200. That was when we felt we should continue doing this,” he said.

“We realised that the more we gave, the more we received in return.”

To date, the initiative has distributed more than 20,000 meal packs, mostly in Penang, though the team has travelled farther when needed.

The operation remains a family effort. Fadzil, who now runs sundry stores, works alongside his cousin Che Hajirah Abd Hamid, 48, who runs a laundromat.

Hajirah’s mother Latifah is the main cook, while Fadzil’s wife Nurul Huda Abdullah, 43, is his right-hand person.

Day or night, Nasi Kandar Bergerak – which has handed out over 20,000 meals – has been a lifeline for the needy community. (Fadzil Wahab pic)

The kitchen in Batu Kawan is run entirely by family members. They typically prepare about 500 packs at a time, starting as early as 5am so everything is ready before the food truck sets off.

Fadzil’s goal has never been just to fill stomachs, but to serve meals with dignity. That is why the menu often includes dishes like nasi minyak, briyani or nasi hujan panas, rather than just plain rice.

Even though the food is free, he wants it to feel like a proper meal, cooked with care.

Sharing ‘rezeki’ with those in need

Fadzil recalled his early days as a trader selling mee goreng from a pushcart in the industrial areas of Bayan Lepas and Batu Kawan.

Over time, he earned enough to open a sundry shop and a food stall, slowly building the life he never had.

Those struggles, he said, are why he cannot ignore others who face hardship.

Fadzil sees the initiative as a way of sharing his blessings with those who live with the kind of hardship he once knew. (Fadzil Wahab pic)

His efforts have also gone beyond food. Fadzil has given away motorcycles to those he considers deserving, particularly individuals who can use them to earn a living through delivery work or other jobs.

But he is careful about who receives them: applicants are vetted to ensure those who receive the motorcycles can genuinely improve their lives.

The initiative is funded mainly through profits from the family’s businesses, with a portion set aside for charity.

Fadzil said he does not see any of this as branding or promotion, but as a way of sharing “rezeki” with those who live with the kind of hardship he once knew.

“As long as we can afford it, we will continue giving it for free,” he said.

And if his dream comes true, one day, there will be a place where the stove never cools, the food stays hot, and no one has to go hungry. - FMT