Malaysian eatery wins praise for offering prepaid meals to those who are hungry

SELANGOR: If you ever find yourself hungry in Bandar Bukit Raja or Pandamaran but are unable to pay for a meal, there’s no need to worry, because one eatery has got you covered.

Patrons of the restaurant Choon Guan 1956 don’t just believe in “the power of kindness and community,” they’ve put their money where their mouth is by paying ahead of time for meals for those who can’t afford food.

A sign in the eatery says as much in both Malay and English: “Jika anda lapar dan tiada wang, makanan ini telah dibayar terlebih dahulu,” the sign reads, telling diners that meals have already been prepaid for those who are hungry but have no money.

To prove it, a bunch of receipts for those meals have already been stuck to the sign.

According to the eatery’s Instagram post toward the end of August, “generous souls” have paid for the food.

However, Choon Guan 1956 doesn’t stop there, but encourages goodness to go on and on.

“Let’s continue to pay it forward and support each other through small acts of kindness,” the post says.

This means that diners at the eatery who wish to participate in this pay-it-forward scheme may do so and help feed those who are hungry as well.

David Kan Yew Weng, who was identified in a Must Share News article as the owner of Choon Guan 1956, also recently shared a photo of the sign and the receipts attached to it on a Facebook group for Meru Klang Residents.

He wrote, “We understand that sometimes life can be challenging,” and added that those who are hungry but have no money may avail of the meals in his eatery.

“We are here to support our communities, because no one should go hungry,” Mr Kan added.

In a comment to his post, he said that people who wish to avail of the free meals may take one of the receipts and simply present it to the staff of Choon Guan 1956.

Netizens have applauded his initiative not only in making sure people don’t go without meals but also for creating opportunities for kindness to be shared and community to be built.

Others have expressed the desire to help out in the endeavor as well, with some adding that they hope other restaurants will follow the example set by Choon Guan 1956.

Some called it a “great initiative” and said they would support it, while others expressed their thanks and respect toward Mr Kan. /TISG

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