GEORGE TOWN: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has urged more supermarkets to join the Food Bank initiative in a bid to collect and distribute food to the underprivileged groups.
Minister Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the ministry had discussed with several outlets throughout the country, and the outcome has been positive thus far.
“We will organise more of such programme at the national level, in a larger scale, as it has a significant impact to the underprivileged and targeted groups in order to ease the cost of living.
“Also, this programme has no major financial implications as the supermarkets always have extra amount of food especially fruits and bakery, to be given away ,” he said during the Mutiara Food Bank briefing at Sungai Dua Tesco here today.
Mutiara Food Bank was launched on May 1 last year in collaboration with the state government to provide food aid directly house to house for those in need.
Saifuddin said that Penang has been chosen to undertake the pilot project for the programme and the module would be introduced to other states as an example.
“After this, I was told that similar programmes will be carried out in Kelantan. Negeri Sembilan has also shown keen interest to conduct the programme.
“For starters, both the states may begin by offering vegetables to the people,” he added.