PETALING JAYA: A mosque in Petaling Jaya that recently won plaudits for distributing aid to those affected by the movement control order (MCO), including non-Muslims, plans to continue the charitable deed.
And it is now getting more donations, including from non-Muslims, to carry on with its charitable work.
Last Sunday, the Al-Islamiah Mosque in Kampung Lindungan, extended aid to foreigners in the area, distributing goods such as rice, cooking oil, flour and eggs to more than a hundred households.
Mosque spokesman Muhammad Hafis Asib said many of the foreigners, a majority of whom were Indonesians and Bangladeshis, who received the aid were contract workers who depended on daily wages.
The MCO has rendered them unable to eke out a living.
Hafis said the mosque would like to help them in any way it could to lighten their burden. He had previously said that the majority in the area were those from the B40 category.
“We help people on grounds of humanity. We assist anyone in need of such help. That is the mosque’s principal,” he told FMT.
This attitude, Hafis revealed, had resulted in more people coming forward to donate to the mosque, including non-Muslims, after pictures of Indian women lining up to receive aid at the mosque went viral.
“We saw an increase in Malaysian donors, including non-Muslims who trusted us in distributing the aid,” he said, adding that if the mosque received more donations, it would expand its charity work.
Hafis urged other mosques and places of worship to carry out similar initiatives and help the needy regardless of race and creed.
The caretaker of the mosque, Hakimi Hafiz Husain, said they were now planning to distribute aid during the fasting month, although that would depend on the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) giving them the nod to do so.
“As we will not be able to organise ‘buka puasa’ events, we are looking at distributing packed food to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of those who received aid from the mosque, Nor Hasni Hamat from Madura, Indonesia, expressed gratitude for the food she received, saying they were treated like family and praised the mosque for its generosity.
“Even though we come from Indonesia, we do not feel like we’re living in a foreign country. Whenever we are in hardship, or without a job, there is always someone who will lend a helping hand,” Nor Hasni, who works as a cleaner, said.
Another Indonesian, who only wanted to be known as Rosriah, was also thankful for the aid she had received, saying that since the MCO started she had been struggling to pay rent and buy food, as she was only paid half her salary.
At times, she lamented, she had to borrow money from friends.
“With this aid, we can at least eat,” she said.
Those who wish to donate may transfer funds to the mosque’s Bank Islam account at 1204 7010 0164 05.
-FMT
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