Social activist and folk hero Kuan Chee Heng is recognised for spearheading numerous initiatives that helped the under-privileged receive basic needs. He is affectionately known as Uncle Kentang (Potato Uncle), a name that stuck from his early days of goodwill work handing out provisions to the poor, in particular potatoes.

Kuan’s notable efforts include setting up a RM0.10 taxi service so the needy can afford rides to the hospital, as well as establishing a RM0.10 day-care centre where parents can drop off their children for their medical appointments. He also organised a market selling pre-loved items donated by the public at only ten cents; introduced a ten-cent ambulance service; provided RM1 hostel accommodation for those travelling from out of Kuala Lumpur for medical treatments; and started a RM1 hearse service.

Kuan experienced poverty growing up, from not having any food and relying on scraps thrown out by hawkers, to his father’s early demise from not being able to afford cancer treatments or even transport to the hospital. Kuan, who served briefly in the police force, later formed Community Policing Malaysia, a crime-prevention NGO. He quickly realised that poverty was the source of many of the crimes in communities, and decided to change his focus to providing aid to the under-privileged.

He is currently working on creating an app that will enable the public to easily donate money or food vouchers to help the needy. For his commendable charity work, Kuan received the Commonwealth Points of Light Award from Queen Elizabeth II; he is only the fourth Malaysian to do so.