Two NGOs and a social enterprise have slammed a viral stunt which saw three influencers give a homeless man food waste, calling it dehumanising and exploitative.
Food4U founder Tony Lian said feeding the needy should come from a place of compassion, not cruelty.
“I have no words. Those who posted the video should be ashamed of themselves. It is not fun to be poor, run down and degraded.
“We are feeding and providing food to the needy out of love and compassion. It is our devotion,” he told FMT.
Lian said the stunt not only misrepresented charity but also insulted NGOs that serve the poor daily.
“Stop degrading the less fortunate. We do this out of love and care for our fellow Malaysians who are miserably poor,” he said.
A social media user yesterday apologised for a publicity stunt which showed him and two others giving a homeless man a packet of rice with chicken bones.
The purported social media influencer said the homeless man had agreed to be part of the video clip, and that the trio later bought him a full meal with two pieces of fried chicken.
The initial video, which has since been deleted, sparked a backlash from netizens with many calling for the matter to be investigated, including Semambu assemblyman Chan Chun Kuang.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it was investigating the video, adding that it takes a serious view of content that exploits marginalised groups for “cheap entertainment”.
Brian Lariche, CEO of Make It Right Movement, said poverty should never be reduced to a social media gimmick.
“The moment you post, there’s an immediate reaction. Even if there’s more context later, one second in the social media realm is worth a thousand lifetimes. They should have known better,” he said.
Meanwhile, Uplift head of operations N Kumar urged would-be philanthropists to keep their efforts sincere and straightforward.
“When doing charity, the message to the public must be kept direct and obvious. People will give sincerely when they see there is a need,” he said.
