BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Food Bank Malaysia programme has benefited 48, 850 households nationwide since its launch in December last year, according to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said during that period, 1,055 metric tonnes of surplus food was saved and channelled to deserving households.
“This is an ongoing and non-ad hoc programme to benefit more people in need, including students in institutions of higher learning,” he told reporters after officiating the ‘Food Bank Siswa’ programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Penang (Permatang Pauh campus), here today.
He said the government was committed to helping the people in the bottom 40% of the low income group (B40) including students at public universities.
Through the food bank for students programme, Saifuddin said 800 students from UiTM Penang Permatang Pauh campus and 200 students from Seberang Perai Polytechnic were eligible to receive assistance from Food Bank Malaysia, which will be launched by main strategic partner, Mutiara Food Bank, using the concept of ‘Food Pantry’.
“The Malaysian Islamic Business Association is honoured to be the main contributor of food aid for the Food Bank Malaysia programme at public institutions of higher learning besides donating a van to Mutiara Food Bank to launch the implementation of the Food Bank programme for students in Penang,” he said,
Eleven restaurant operators in the state also collaborated in the programme at UiTM Permatang Pauh campus.
Saifuddin said the programme will be extended to Sabah and Sarawak in the near future.
The Food Bank Malaysia programme in university campuses was launched at the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, University of Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia recently. — Bernama
