Machap Jaya Free Market Brings Joy To Orang Asli Community With Free Clothes

ALOR GAJAH, March 8 (Bernama) --  The Machap Jaya Free Market, now in its third year, continues to be a much-anticipated programme for local residents, especially the Orang Asli community, who come to obtain free clothing.

An 18-year-old expectant mother from Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Besar,  Pelangi Pinjam, said she was among the first to arrive at the programme to look for baby clothes.

She said she was excited to find not only used clothes that were still in good condition, but also brand-new baby items.

“I feel very happy because my husband and I have not bought clothes for our baby, who is expected to be born in May, due to financial constraints. My husband’s income as a rubber tapper is small.

“Thankfully, there is this free clothes programme where we can take what we need because there are so many beautiful baby clothes,” she told Bernama when met at the Machap Jaya Free Market programme held at Japerun Machap Jaya here today.

Pelangi said she returned home with two plastic bags filled with baby clothes and now feels relieved as she and her husband, Yuzi Amrie a/l Wang Long, 20, no longer have to worry about buying clothes for their first child.

Meanwhile, Seri Manis a/p Asing, 32, from Kampung Orang Asli Machap Umboo, said she attended the programme with her three children aged between six and 14 to choose clothes for their daily use.

She said her family spent more than 30 minutes selecting suitable clothes and were delighted to find not only used items but also new clothes that fit her children.

“The children were very happy because there were many choices and they could choose for themselves, such as T-shirts and pants.

“It is a relief because we do not have to spend money on new clothes, especially with Hari Raya approaching and many other necessities to buy,” said the rubber tapper.

For Maznah Isnin, 66, from Kampung Paya Datok, the programme was equally meaningful.

The response from donors this year has been very encouraging, and the number of visitors attending the programme has also increased compared with last year,” she said.

Despite having to attend in a wheelchair due to health problems, she said she was happy to find beautiful clothes suitable for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

“Many families here are not well-off, so when they receive good clothes for free, whether new or used, they are very grateful because new clothes can be expensive,” she said.

Machap Jaya Assemblyman Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem said the annual programme serves as a platform to help residents, particularly the Orang Asli community, obtain clothes and other items at no cost, thus easing their financial burden.

“With the rising cost of living, many Orang Asli families who rely on rubber tapping have limited income. This programme means a lot to them,” he said.

Ngwe added that the programme is held every year ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and may also be expanded during the “Wakil Rakyat Untuk Rakyat DUN Machap Jaya” programme scheduled for April, with more clothes and other items to be made available.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Machap Jaya Free Market programme, Nurashiqin Alias, 42, said the clothes and other items, such as shoes, distributed during the programme were donated by various parties.

She said the initiative was organised through collaboration between the Machap Jaya Wanita UMNO and  Puteri UMNO, as well as MILA University.

“The response from donors this year has been very encouraging, and the number of visitors attending the programme has also increased compared with last year,” she said.

-- BERNAMA