PETALING JAYA: In 2015, Tony Lian was supplying bottled water when a friend asked if he could donate to the homeless.
“I said yes and gave 20 cartons. Then later, I provided another 30.
“But something inside me said: ‘Don’t just give, go see for yourself.”
What he witnessed that day transformed his life – families sleeping under stairwells, children scavenging scraps and men rummaging through garbage bins.
“That’s when I knew I couldn’t just be a donor. I had to be present.”
That pivotal moment sparked the creation of Food4You, which started by distributing 300 meal packs a week.
Today, the NGO feeds 3,000 people weekly across Kuala Lumpur.
“People often ask why I feed those who look ‘okay’. What they don’t see is the reality of urban poverty,” Lian explained.
“In rural areas, RM2,000 might sustain a family. In Kuala Lumpur, it barely covers a week. Saving them RM10 a day on food means RM300 a month, that (could help with) room rent or bus fares.”
From Medan Tuanku to Chow Kit and Pudu, Lian is on the streets several days a week, handing out meals and groceries. On Saturdays, families receive basic necessities such as eggs, rice, oil and sugar, so they would not have to beg.
“I tell them: ‘Stay off the streets. Take this home, cook and stay together as a family’.”
