Woman causes chaos after giving angbaos to the poor in Penang, gets swarmed & grabbed by crowd

A woman in Penang's attempt to do a good deed this Lunar New Year became a cautionary tale after she attracted a more enthusiastic crowd than she had expected.

Going by the username Kim Ho, she posted a video of the incident on Facebook on Feb. 19.

Holding a bunch of red packets, she approached some people in the middle of a queue at an outdoor area.

They were the poor and homeless, receiving assistance at Guan Yin Temple in Penang, according to Oriental Daily.

Just after Ho handed red packets to two women, four people came to her from different directions, holding out their hands.

Soon, the crowd around her grew, as people from kids to the elderly reached out to grab a red packet from her.

The chaotic situation made Ho flustered, but when she tried to get away, they grabbed her arms, even after the red packets in her hands fell on the ground.

Some in the crowd could be seen desperately bending down to scrabble for the red packets she dropped.

In the aftermath, her right foot and ankle were injured and bandaged up, as shown in a photo she posted.

"Be careful in crowded places, don't end up like me," she wrote.

According to her Facebook profile, she is a beautician and content creator.

Safety first

Some commenters expressed concern, reminding Ho to take care of her safety and wear more appropriate shoes.

Some suggested that she give through other channels, such as donating to charity organisations.

Others were more sceptical, accusing Ho of "want[ing] attention".

The video was also shared on Reddit, where a user said she could help out at the temple's soup kitchen, or organise something with the coordinator that deals with such visitors.

Another user shared their own experience with helping the homeless, and added that a proper system is important.

"Hope this won't deter her to help out again," they said. "Just need some experience to manage it better."

Top images from Kim Ho/Facebook