Usually, people usher in the New Year by converging at public places to watch the entertainment offerings and fireworks display, but last night three youths celebrated the occasion with a difference.

The three friends hailing from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan chose to help the homeless in the federal capital by distributing 200 food packets to them around the Jamek Mosque LRT station.

One of the trio, Ahmad Najmi Aiman Hamidon, 28, said the initiative came from the realisation to assist the less fortunate, followed by a short discussion among them on the preparations.

"Actually, our effort is just a little compared to what the vagrants in the city go through," he said when met while giving away the food packets.

"The three of us feel that this idea of 'giving back to society' should continue in future to help this group," added the health consultant.

Also present to help distribute the food was Malaysia Social Development Association chairman, Mohd Aryan Kailash Arumugam.

Meanwhile, Mohd Hafidz Hanif, 25, said the three of them gathered the items and prepared the food packages themselves which also contained sweets, chocolates and packet drinks for the children of the homeless.

"Thank God, everything has been smooth, like the nasi lemak last night being sponsored by our friend, Mohd Aryan, and we bought the rest of the stuff," said Mohd Hafidz, who runs his own business in Seremban,

The other of the trio, Mohd Hashazarin Ahmad, 25, said some of the funds to buy the stuff were contributed by their family members and close friends.

"We spread the message through our WhatsApp groups and managed to collect over RM2,000 in two days. We used the money to buy bread, biscuits and mineral water," he said, adding that the effort was a good start to 2017 for them. - BERNAMA