Kedah Couple Runs Soup Kitchen To Provide Free Meals To The Needy

By seven in the morning, the kitchen of a shophouse on Jalan Kampung Kangkong in Alor Setar, Kedah, is already bustling with activity.

Rice is ready for cooking, fresh chicken neatly cut, onions and chillies blended, while large pots are set to boil for the day’s cooking. Soon, the aroma of curry fills the air.

In another corner, sambal belacan (a spicy condiment made from chillies and shrimp paste) is pounded with care, while ulam-ulaman (fresh herbs eaten as a salad) and cucumbers are placed in a large bucket of cold water.

At the front of the premises, tables and chairs are wiped spotless. From noon onwards, lunch is served.

This shophouse in Alor Setar is unlike any other. It serves as the heart of Rumah Makan Percuma (RMP), a humble yet impactful initiative started by a kindhearted couple five years ago to provide free meals to those in need.

On average, 600 people eat at the soup kitchen each day, except Saturdays when it closes to allow its five staff members a day of rest. During the month of Ramadan, the meals are provided in takeaway packs for breaking of fast.

FREE MEALS SERVED WITH DIGNITY

RMP founder Mazlina Kamarudin, 58, said although the meals are provided free, she always reminds her staff to “cook with a sincere heart”.

“Even if it’s free, the service must be like that for paying customers,” she told Bernama.

Pic-2

According to her, the menu changes daily, offering white rice, a variety of chicken dishes, vegetables and ulam, complete with beverages. At times, traditional kuih, contributed by members of the public, is also served.

“Anyone can come to eat here, regardless of race or religion. The only rule is that food cannot be packed to take away; everyone must eat here. We want people to sit together at the same table, chat and feel like it’s a celebration,” she said, adding that in the early days, about 250 people would eat there daily, but the number grew quickly to around 600 now.

Most of them are regulars, among them 45-year-old Izan Iskandar, a self-employed electrician. Life has not been easy for this bachelor who shoulders the responsibility of caring for his two younger siblings with a modest monthly income. For him, RMP is a blessing beyond measure.

Describing the initiative as proof of society’s compassion, he said he often sees people donating rice and other raw ingredients.

“Food is expensive these days. So when kindhearted people contribute supplies, RMP can continue to operate. It really helps people like me and many others who are struggling,” he said gratefully.

He stops by to eat nearly five times a week, not only to fill his stomach but also because he enjoys the atmosphere.

“The vibe here is always lively. During lunch breaks, factory workers, supermarket staff … everyone comes. We queue for five to 10 minutes, then sit together at the same table. Malays, Chinese, Indians, all sharing a meal. This is the spirit of unity Malaysia truly needs,” he said, smiling.

FROM AYAM BISMI TO RMP

 For Mazlina and her husband Jafri Ahmad, 61, the free meal initiative is a heartfelt way of giving back to the community.

The couple is the driving force behind Bismi Empire Sdn Bhd (Ayam Bismi), a thriving poultry farming and processing company. It is the success of their business that enabled them to embark on RMP.

Pic-3

Ayam Bismi was established by Jafri in 1988, the venture initially focusing on the sale of fresh chicken. But just two months in, Jafri’s partner withdrew, but he continued with the business. Two years later, he married Mazlina, and together they worked hand in hand to grow the business.

Today, Ayam Bismi runs poultry farms with a capacity of 2.14 million birds and processes nearly one million chickens each month. The only bumiputera-owned company with the largest integrated chicken processing plant in Kedah, its operations are supported by veterinarians, microbiologists, farm technical officers, and a food and poultry health control laboratory.

The company’s products include fresh chicken supplied to markets in Kedah and Perlis, and frozen chicken, which is distributed nationwide.

Around 60 percent of RMP’s operating costs are covered by Ayam Bismi, with the remainder coming from the owners’ own pockets and contributions in kind from the community.

“If Ayam Bismi makes a profit, then RMP can continue to run. We don’t want our wealth to benefit only us, we want others to benefit too,” Mazlina said.

NO DONATIONS, QR CODE

Mazlina and her husband chose to provide free meals as they know what it is like to go hungry.

“We ourselves come from poor families. My father was a padi farmer, while my husband’s father was a bus driver. So we truly understand the hardship of living hand to mouth,” said Mazlina, her eyes welling up.

At the dining table of this premise, it is clearly proven that multi-racial communities are actually able to sit together, while sharing sustenance without any suspicion.

“We’re also aware that hunger makes it difficult for people to fulfil their religious obligations and think clearly.”

She said they could have also handed out cash or groceries, instead of providing free meals, but the “real problem is not always money…sometimes it is loneliness, or simply being unable to cook or eat alone”.

The couple also refuses cash donations from the public. At the RMP premises, there is no collection box at the counter and no QR codes.

“If you put a donation box, the rich can give RM100, but the poor would feel embarrassed as they can’t afford to contribute much. We don’t want anyone to feel small,” Mazlina said, adding that they, however, welcome contributions in kind such as rice, sugar, cooking oil and spices.

Some donors even pay suppliers directly, which makes auditing more transparent and avoids any suspicion of financial misuse.

“When you safeguard your intentions and methods, God will ease the way. Since we opened the RMP premises in 2020, we have never once run short of funds,” she added.

CHALLENGES

Mazlina admitted that at first, she was unsure how the public would respond to RMP.

“On our first day, we cooked for 200 people, and everything went smoothly,” she recalled.

To ensure the continuity of RMP, her family chooses to live modestly so that more of Ayam Bismi’s profits can be channeled into the free meal initiative.

“We don’t own any luxury car or waste money on expensive assets. We channel our business profits into projects like RMP. That’s how we manage our finances,” she explained.

Mazlina, however, expressed concern that the rising cost of raw ingredients could affect their ability to help as many people as possible.

“The dine-in-only concept helps us control visitor numbers and avoid waste. But with costs climbing and the crowd growing, it has become more challenging. We can only provide within our means,” she said.

STORIES THAT TOUCH THE HEART

Beyond the numbers, what lingers with the couple are the stories that they hear at the RMP premises’ dining tables. There are elderly folks who come daily because they can no longer cook, and families who have lost their homes but who can still enjoy meals served with love.

Mazlina said one of the most touching stories was of a devoted husband caring for his terminally ill wife, who had lost her legs and required dialysis. The free meals became their daily sustenance until the wife passed away last year.

Pic-5

“Each time I go over to the premises, many people raise their hands to pray for me and my husband. Some even mention our names in their prayers. That alone moves me to tears,” she said.

And, come the months of August and September, the atmosphere turns festive, with the premises decorated with miniature Jalur Gemilang and diners treated to special drinks.

Seated at the dining tables are factory workers, senior citizens, families and neighbours, enjoying their lunch together.

“For me, we should not just keep asking what the country can give us — ask instead what we can do for our country,” said Mazlina, adding that a 70-year-old Chinese man comes every day to help arrange the tables and chairs.

She also hopes more corporations will step forward with similar initiatives to help people cope with the rising cost of living.

Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial