An economy rice seller lamenting that he won’t be able to make it to the Bersih 4 rally has reportedly resorted to another way of supporting the movement – free lunch for those who show up wearing a Bersih 4 T-shirts.
The stall owner, Liu Zhi Qiang, said that from noon until 2pm on Aug 29, he would have 300 packs of economy rice to be given away at his ‘333 Economy Rice’ stall at the DG Food Court in Taman Wawasan, near Puchong.
The rally itself is slated to start in Kuala Lumpur at 2pm on the same day.
“He (Liu) originally wanted to join the rally himself, but he had to keep his stall open for business, so he wanted to make some contribution (to the cause) and does not intend this to be a publicity stunt.
“He said participants may pick any dish they want, as long as they fill their stomachs and have the energy to join the rally,” says a report published online in the Metro edition of Sinchew Daily yesterday.
On a first-come, first-served basis
Liu reportedly told the daily that he got the inspiration to offer the free lunches after seeing Kinrara assemblyperson Ng Sze Han and his team come to the food court to sell Bersih T-shirts.
He also expressed regret that the food at his stall is non-halal, meaning that he would not be able to provide for Muslim Bersih supporters even though he believes that support for Bersih should be something that cuts across race and religious barriers.
The 300 packets of free meals would be served on a first-come-first-serve basis over the two-hour period, or until stocks run out.
He estimates that if each person eats RM6 worth of food, it would cost him RM1,800 to provide the free meals.
Liu also reportedly lamented that even small stallholders like himself had been affected by the economic downturn, which, together with the increase in the cost of doing business due to the implementation of the goods and services tax, has caused his revenue to drop by 30 percent.
He hopes the rally will be successful, so that it can bring change to the country’s condition. -Malaysiakini.
Post a Comment