Some of the food packets left at the transit centre for the homeless on Jalan CY Choy in George Town, Penang.
GOOD Samaritans in Penang who have been donating food to the homeless in and around George Town are encouraged to channel them to the Transit Centre for The Homeless on Jalan CY Choy, instead.
Penang welfare committee chairman Lim Siew Kim said the food could be given to the centre’s residents.
“We have halal and non-halal pantries, and accept all types of food. The centre’s residents are fed thrice a day and sometimes even more.
“By doing so, we can prevent the homeless and beggars from discarding food wrappers which end up dirtying our streets,” she told a press conference after accepting an automated external defibrillator (AED) and two first aid kits from Penang Buddhist Tzu Chi Merits Society commissioner Datuk Khoo Boo Leong on behalf of the transit centre.
Khoo says the society sponsored an AED and first aid kits for emergency use at the transit centre.
Lim said that more than 95,000 meals (300 a day) had been served from Sept 1 last year until July 25 to 334 homeless folk seeking shelter at the centre.
“Occasionally, elderly folk from nearby areas also come here for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
“The centre, which works with 91 non-governmental organisations (NGO), has become a gathering place for them,” she added.
Also present at the event was transit centre general manager Nazatulwanis Mohd Khorish.
Meanwhile, Khoo said Tzu Chi society recognised the importance of first responders providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR and first aid during a medical emergency.
“The society is sponsoring the AED and first aid kits worth more than RM8,000. AED units can make a difference between life and death in the event of an emergency,” he said.
“This is the second AED unit sponsored by Tzu Chi. The first was to the police contingent headquarters on Jalan Penang in June,” Khoo added.
