Gurdwaras reaching out to pandemic victims – Part 3

The coronavirus pandemic has wrecked havoc across the world. In Malaysia, there has been a spate of lockdowns, of different intensity, to contain the spread of Covid-19. The first lockdown, called movement control order (MCO), was instituted in mid-March 2020.

Life has not been the same ever since. The pandemic has impacted businesses, big and small. Workers have lost income, families devastated by the stalling economy.

In the gloom and doom scenario, various outfits have come forward to assist the people at large. Many gurdwaras in Malaysia have also stepped forward to assist people in their vicinity to cope with hardship.

Asia Samachar contacted the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC), the umbrella body for gurdwaras in the country, to reach out to their member gurdwaras to find out what they have done to help their local congregation. It’s not an exhaustive exercise, but enough to get a rough picture as to what is happening out there.

As reported earlier, we found that a good good number of Malaysian gurdwaras have ventured out to assist needy families. They provided much needed food and cash assistance even to the Panjabi foreign workers, many of whom were stranded without jobs and unable to move around. They also provided food ration to other migrant workers.

This is Part 3 for the individual gurdwara reports that have reached us. Gurdwaras featured in this installment are Kuantan, Mentakab, Ampang and Wadda Gurdwara Penang.

Part 1: Port Klang, Serendah, Shah Alam, Kota Kinabalu, Setia City Darbar and Petaling Jaya.

Part 2: Klang, Raub, Bentong, Sungai Petani, Labuan and Khalsa Land (KKB).

KUANTAN 

We distributed aid to some 30 Indian foreign workers during the MCO last year. While on the distribution rounds, we found two kongsi (workers’ quarters) of Bangladesh and Indonesian workers who had run out of food. We provided them with food ration as well. We distributed dry groceries and vegetables every 2 to 3 weeks. Dry groceries and vegetables. For this year, we have sent out notice to whoever is in need but no one has approached us yet.

MENTAKAB

Mentakab Gurdwara Sahib team distributed 1,000 packs of vegetarian meals during MCO1 to residents of the Temerloh District. They included frontliners hard at work. Soon, we will once again start assisting our community affected by this pandemic. We will start soon with a RM500 one-off cash payment to needy households.

AMPANG

In 2020, the Gurdwara Sahib Ampang team distributed food packets worth RM6,000 to foreign workers (Desi brothers) in this area. We also distributed food ration to Niketan Darbar and Wadda Gurdwara Kampung Pandan for further distribution. The team also supplied vegetables and ration woth RM1,000 to Gurdwara Sahib Kampung Pandan Dalam which did the cooking and onward distribution. At the same time, we provided donations, between RM100 to RM200 each, to foreign workers to help them wtih their rentals and free medical treatment to those who needed it.

This year, we have supported two families with cash and food ration. With the assistance of the local parliamentarian, we have also distributed food package to 15 families in Ampang.

WADDA GURDWARA PENANG

Persatuan Wadda Gurdwara Sahib (WGSP), Pulau Pinang, has been active in its outreach activities since MCO 1. The management committee would like to extend its heartfelt appreciation to everyone who have, and still are, contributing in so many ways towards the outreach sewa. Our contributors are from diverse backgrounds and races.

To date, WGSP has supported families with rations from Penang and the mainland (Sungai Petani, Kulim, Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam, Machang Bubok and nearby areas). The recipients are from all races, including migrant workers  from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Rohingya. We have also reached out to Jawantankuasa Pemulihan Dadah Timur Laut and Community Aids Society Penang, Orang Asli settlement in Perak.

During Vasakhi, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Chinese New Year cleebrations, we reached out to families and also the homeless and rickshaw peddlers with cookies.

Breakfast and lunch meals for the homeless in Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang, Lighthouse, Pitt Street, children homes and anyone in need of meals. Bread buns, paus, cakes, mineral water bottles, biscuits, masala chai packets, tea and coffee and juices bottles were also supplied to Penang and mainland (Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam, Machang Bubok and nearby areas).

We also managed daily supply for the homeless. Daily food: Lunch and dinner for senior citizens, stranded tourist and for the unwell, regardless of race.

We have also been providing psychosocial support such as counselling and keeping in touch with members of the Sikh congregation and members of the other communities. The MCO has impacted many who have shown stress, depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies. Our outreach team consists of doctors, nurses and community development counsellors. As for chronic cases, they have been referred to various mental health organisations and Women Centre for Change for those going through domestic violence.

We have also created a friendship zone where those who are staying on their own can call us on WhatsApp via multiple chatting video call.

As for the senior citizens keeping in touch often with them breaks the social isolation faced by them and a little laughter helps cheer them up.

Distributions of care packs as such; face masks, antiseptic soaps and hand sanitisers to the needy families and individuals who cannot afford it. Initially, we made our own hand sanitizers. The distribution became much wider with sponsorship that came along.

During Sangrands and Gurpurabs, senior citizens could not make it to gurdwara due to lockdown or other reasons. Karah Parshad and Langgar was sent to their homes.

RELATED STORY:

Are Malaysian gurdwaras doing enough in this pandemic? (Asia Samachar, 26 June 2021)

Gurdwaras reaching out to pandemic victims (Asia Samachar, 27 June 2021)