PJ Seller Gets Thumbs Up For Giving Free Food To Those Who Can’t Afford It

Nurul Shima sells her budget rice for RM3.50 a pack on weekdays from 5pm in front of Surau Al-Falah in Section 6, Kota Damansara.

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With inflation and higher cost of living, people are struggling to even buy food for their families. Thanks to the government’s new initiative – Menu Rahmah, many will benefit from it.

But did you know there’s a food seller in PJ that sells rice with side dishes even way cheaper than the ‘RM5’ rate?

All because of the RM7 packet of rice

Nurul Hashima Abu Aris or Nurul Shima has been selling her RM3.50 budget rice since 2020 after she bought a half portion of rice with only salted fish and a spoonful of vegetables for RM7 long ago during the MCO.

She began to wonder about the people who couldn’t afford to pay for such meals and told her husband that she wanted to sell budget rice to the public to help them.

I thought to myself, why don’t I sell my own affordable food so more people have the chance to eat.
Nurul Shima, budget food seller

Her pricing has not changed for 3 years since 2020 despite the fact that her stall is quite well-known in the area.

Started a home food delivery service before

Starting to help her mother cook at the age of 6, Shima was running a successful home food delivery service since 2012 before she stuck to her budget rice stall, as reported by Malaymail.

She cooked up to 15 kinds of dishes a day and sent them to customers via part-time riders who worked for her. With the help of Arfan, her 16-year-old son at the time, they started doing around 80 rice packs with four options to choose from.

Ayam Masak Merah and Ayam Minyak Kicap are usually the constant bestsellers with two other options being seafood like fish, squid or prawns, which changes on a daily basis.

Now, she sells 200 rice packets a day and they’re sold out within the first hour and a half of opening.

Last year, she stopped doing her home delivery service to fully concentrate on her stall in Kota Damansara even though the old business was more profitable.

Even gave free rice to those who can’t afford

During the MCO period, Nurul admitted that it breaks her heart every time she sees someone who doesn’t have enough to pay for their meal. She would give them for free and be glad that she could help as many people as she could.

So far, none has ever tried to take advantage of the free food option when they can actually afford to pay.

“I usually give away free rice packs and some money to those who really cannot afford them. I even invite them to visit my stall again in the future,” said the 42-year-old mother of three.

She even used the profit that she got from the sale to help at least 50 people by buying groceries or baby essentials.

When I couldn’t buy the items for them, I gave cash. What I gave helped them get through the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
Nurul Shima, budget food seller

Her main inspiration to help others was because of the motivation from her tough childhood times.

She didn’t have enough food to eat, enough money to afford revision books or even enough money to buy sanitary pads. She has experienced all that and she understood what it felt like. It gave her a lot of calmness and satisfaction when she was able to help the less fortunate.

Tak cukup duit nak makan? CAKAP. Sis boleh bagi nasi percuma.

Jangan kais cari duit dalam poket, lepas tu letak balik nasi sebab tak cukup duit.

I cannot go la dengan situasi macam tu. I is mudah tersentuh hati. Setakat bagi 2-4 bungkus nasi bajet tu tak ruginya niaga sis. pic.twitter.com/mJ1lI8qDCZ
— Nurul Shima (@NurulShima_3) February 1, 2023

For those who wanna support her business, you can visit her stall in Kota Damansara.

Here are the details.

Nasi Budget Shima

Address: In front of the Al-Falah surau, Section 6, Kota Damansara.
Operating Hours: 5 pm – 6.45 pm (Closed on Weekends & Public Holidays)
Price: RM3.50 per packet of rice

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