National food bank tackles both waste and rising living costs, says PM
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THE national Food Bank Malaysia programme, which was launched today in Penang, will help the government tackle food wastage and the rising cost of living, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
In his speech, which was read by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Dr Mahathir said the government had been looking for the best way to tackle both issues.
The food bank programme, spearheaded by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, was the right initiative to meet the two objectives, he said.
“The issue of surplus food is not new in Malaysia.
“If the 3,000 tonnes are distributed, the food can benefit close to two million people. This surplus food may seem trivial, but has a big impact on the people who need it.
“Efforts to tackle food waste have to be made to ensure the people have access to food and nutrition. Such an initiative will also help tackle cost of living issues faced by the people.
“When they get food aid, they can cut down their daily expenses and use the money for other needs like healthcare and education,” he said.
Dr Mahathir could not attend the launch of the national food bank programme this morning due to urgent matters. He was represented by Lim.
The prime minister also said in his speech that food production costs and food prices would continue to increase, making it harder for more people to get food.
He said the Malaysian government had made large allocations for food production for the people’s benefit, but it could not overcome the issues alone.
Dr Mahathir said efforts like the food bank would be improved by smart partnerships with civil society groups and the private sector, like what the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is doing.
The involvement of volunteers in the programme also saved the government money, he said.
Roped into the programme are hypermarkets, supermarkets, hotels, and restaurants, which are contributing surplus food that benefit recipients from the B40 group and registered charity organisations.
For now, the programme is targeting about 186,000 households under the poverty threshold.
Dr Mahathir said that the government would launch the Food Bank Malaysia Foundation to ensure the programme went smoothly.
The foundation will be headed by trustees with experience and commitment to drive the government’s agenda forward.
Dr Mahathir said the government would also pass new laws to protect recipients and donors of the food bank programme like what countries like France and the United States had done.
“I again invite all parties, namely the corporate sector, civil society groups, and individuals to join the programme,” he said.
The national food bank programme is modelled on Penang’s Mutiara Food Bank programme. MFB started operating mid last year when Lim was still chief minister of Penang.
Introduced as a state government initiative by Lim’s then strategic advisor Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, MFB has since achieved huge success in rescuing unsold vegetables, fruits, and baked goods from Tesco hypermarkets in the state and nearby Kulim.
Saifuddin expanded the programme nationwide when he became a federal minister.
Earlier, Lim said MBF had saved 234 tonnes of food and 87 tonnes of baked goods worth an estimated RM1.65 million since last year.
The food had benefited 31,429 recipients in Penang, he said. – December 22, 2018.