giving them a good meal

i mentioned i was in langkawi in this post. i also mentioned something about our project there and said i will write more when my article is up at the herald. well it was up all right but it was not what i wrote as on first person basis. it was edited. here, i present the original, unedited article.

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I was privileged to witness how the Rohingyas community in the Bkt Larut, Langkawi settlement lived and eat when i embarked on a project organised by City Parish PHDC (Parish Human Development Committee).  The project’s intention was to provide the Rohingyas with one good meal. This was made possible through the generous donations of parishioners through PHDC’s coffee morning held on July (see Herald, 5 August issue) and through individual donations.

This project was initiated by the Penang Office of Human Development (POHD), whom had visited them before twice. 

Together with another PHDC member, N and a POHD volunteer, H, the 3 of us were at Langkawi from 14 Sept. to 16 Sept.

The Rohingyas in Langkawi had the misfortune to experience a fire twice in their settlement; once in 2005 and once in February this year. As a result of the fire, their houses had been burnt down and they are now living in tents.

Some of them had been re-located to a housing area provided by the government but there are still 1370 of them in Bukt Malut which consist of 270 families.

These 270 families live as a close knit community and share their meal – only one main meal at dinner time – which mainy consist of rice with sardine or vegetables.

When we were at Langkawi, we contacted a local fisherman, Amin (whom POHD had helped before during the 2004 Aceh tsunami) for his help in getting around and contacting the Rohingyas.

On the first day, 14 Sept, we first went to the Bkt Malut Rohingyas settlement to see the penghulu, Ali bin Bakar, to find out what (and how much) they needed for their dinner of beef curry which we were going to supply.

After having a talk with the penghulu, we went walking round the settlement. We went to where the fire occurred and notice that the place overlook the sea which command a beautiful scenery.

We went around shops and markets hunting for good bargains for beef and some other ingredients to go with the beef curry. Amin, being a local, helped us a lot in the choice of shops and markets.

After being satisfied that we get the best price, we finally placed an order for 100 kg of beef, which we were to collect the next morning. Then we shop for some other stuffs like onions and chili powder.

Amin was kind enough to invite us to his house for buka puasa. his house is a government owned house and there are no furnitures at all in his house. We met his lovely wife and his 4 kids. They brought out the food on the floor and we all ate together, sitting on the floor. it was a very simple meal, I see. Just a plate of mee and bee-hoon then several plates of different kind of kuih.

On Saturday morning , while collecting the beef, we also bought potatoes. Then with the heavy 5 bags of beef (20 kg each) and other ingredients ready for beef curry, we sent them to the Rohingyas. En. Ali, the penghulu said that they would start cooking at 3.00pm. Well, they have to start early as they have to cook for over a thousand people.

We went  back at 6.30pm – just in time to see them distributing the beef curry.  At that time, we also bought over 200 packets of assorted chips for the children.

The beef curry was placed in a huge plastic container and 4 men carried the container around the tents. As they passed by the tents, a child from each family will come out with a bowl to get the beef curry. We were told this is usually how community cooked food to be shared by all was distributed to all the 270 families.

They looked very happy to be able to enjoy beef curry as they rarely have the chance to sample beef. Each families received the same amount of a bowl of the beef curry, no mater how big or small the families are.  Looking at the portion, to me, it was just enough for myself, and to think the family have to share it among themselves. Thus I felt a sense of guilt when I think how I have so much to eat to my satisfaction while to these people, food was so scarce that they had to share whatever limited food they got. At that moment I thank God for showing me how blessed I am.

N, who is City Parish PHDC chairperson had this to say, “I was glad that we are able to share something different from what they usually have for dinner. That make a difference for them. I also wish that they will soon have proper homes to stay because it is so disheartening to see them living in tents – when it rains, the place becomes muddy and when the sun is bright, it can become so hot inside.”

For N and me, it had been an enriching experience for us to see how the Rohyingyas lived. Although they live from hand to mouth, they share a common bond of unity and love, and that is enough to keep their community living happily and peacefully.

note:  the picture here shows the penghulu (left) with 2 of his people and N, PHDC chairperson (right) posing in front of the van after the beef and all other goods had been packed in their van. to see more pictures, please visit my personal photo gallelry.