A 49-year-old homeless man, identified only as Ram (pseudonym), has spoken out after a video showing three Chinese influencers giving him a meal of leftover chicken bones went viral on social media. The incident, which took place in the early hours a few days ago on Jalan Meldrum in Johor Bahru, left Ram feeling stunned and confused.
Speaking to Harian Metro, Ram recalled that he was resting when three teenage boys — strangers to him — approached and handed him a packet of food.
“I was still lying down and didn’t expect anyone to give me food. When I opened the packet, I was shocked to see that it was just leftover food and bones,” he said.
Despite feeling taken aback, Ram did not scold the trio. Instead, he thanked them.
He added that the group later gave him another packet of proper food, but by then, the entire interaction had already been filmed. Ram only found out from nearby residents that the video had been uploaded online and was rapidly spreading.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve that kind of treatment. But I choose to stay positive. I see them as younger brothers and I forgive them for what they did,” he said.
Originally from Perak, Ram has been living on the streets of Johor Bahru for years. Despite his struggles, he insists he has never disturbed or harmed anyone.
He’s aware that authorities are now involved in investigating the incident, but he says that’s not his concern, and he has no right to interfere.
Since the video went viral, many members of the public have reached out to Ram — offering food, checking in on him, and even apologising on behalf of the influencers.
“Even some media and other content creators have contacted me for interviews,” he added. “I believe they’re still young and have a long future ahead. Hopefully, the matter can be resolved properly with the authorities’ help.”
The controversial video, which was uploaded by Instagram user aluk_777, who has around 30,000 followers, showed three individuals dining at a fast-food restaurant. After finishing their meal, they packed the leftover fried chicken bones into a takeaway box and handed it to a homeless man — Ram — under the pretense of “not wasting food” and framed it as an act of kindness.
The video sparked widespread criticism from netizens and fellow content creators, many accusing the trio of disrespecting the homeless and exploiting a vulnerable individual for online clout.
Following the backlash, aluk_777 issued a public clarification and apology, claiming that the chicken bones were merely a “filming prop” and that they had obtained Ram’s consent beforehand. He also claimed that they had indeed given Ram two proper pieces of fried chicken with rice.
Despite the clarification, many remain unconvinced, arguing that the video — regardless of intent — failed to show empathy and dignity towards the homeless.
Aluk_777 has since turned himself in to the police, while the other two involved have been identified as students of Foon Yew High School. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has launched an investigation and has recorded statements from all three individuals involved.