Government urged to hold awareness programmes to curb food wastage

KUCHING: Malaysians are throwing away as much as 17,800 tonnes of food every day, said social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, citing research done by Solid Waste Corporation Management (SWCorp).

Lee said the government should organise more awareness programmes to help curb food wastage which has unfortunately become a habit and culture among the people.

He said it was important to promote a zero-food wastage culture among the people as Malaysians have been very wasteful when food is concerned.

“For the zero-food wastage idea to succeed, it is important that the initiative involves all levels of the community as everyone has a responsibility to put a stop to all forms of wastage.

“If the education and awareness programme fails to change the negative behaviour of the public, the authorities may have to introduce a new legislation that will ensure that those who waste food are fined or receive other kinds of punishment,” Lee said in a press statement yesterday.

He was commenting on the proposal made by the High-Level Committee on Urban Poverty to implement a food aid programme for the urban poor via the National Blue Ocean Strategy.

Lee said it was important to create awareness on food wastage since there are tens of thousands of poor families who could not get sufficient food daily.

He said food wastage has been rampant in the country and people could be seen taking more food than they could consume when helping themselves to buffet spreads at hotels, restaurants or open houses.

During the fasting month of Ramadan, he said, Malaysians from all walks of life would also waste food when they took big portions that they could not finish.

He said the authorities and food operators could emulate the step taken by certain all-youcaneat restaurants which fine customers who cannot finish the food that they have taken from the buffet spread.

On the proposed food aid programme, Lee said the government should become the coordinator for the initiative so as to ensure that the free food provided by non- governmental organisations and individuals could reach the targeted groups and avoid wastage.

It was reported that the mushrooming of soup kitchens in the city and the increasing number of food donors have resulted in wastage when a recipient received more than four packed meals every day.

“I believe the situation will worsen during the fasting month when more people are keen to donate food to the poor families, including those in the cities,” Lee said.

He also urged the government to run the food aid programme efficiently and transparently so as to avoid mismanagement.

At the same time, he said those involved in the programme must also give priority to cleanliness and hygiene aspects.

“They must also encourage the recipients not to discard food containers and leftovers indiscriminately,” he said.