Let’s start a national fund against hunger

THE launch of a foodbank programme by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in December last year to help the poor and solve food wastage problems was laudable (“National food bank to help the needy”, Nation, The Star, Dec 5, 2018; bit.ly/star_food).

This initiative has now been enhanced by the allocation of RM3mil from the Finance Ministry to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to help university students who are “having to starve and eat less” as reported in the press (“National food bank initiative extended to university campuses”, Nation, The Star, March 19; bit.ly/star_students).

No one should starve in Malaysia! Hence, I propose the following package of measures to fight hunger for the Economic Action Council’s (EAC) consideration:

> Start a public fund to eliminate hunger (PFEH) among the B40 (low income) group. The fund to alleviate the national debt successfully raised a large sum of money quickly. Why can’t we do it again, but for a more needy and humane cause like reducing hunger?

This PFEH could be a publicprivate initiative supported by crowdfunding.

> Raise the allocation from a mere RM3mil by 10 times to RM30mil to cater not only to hungry students in universities but also to distribute surplus food supplies from supermarkets and hotels to the hungry poor.

> The EAC can establish a living wage of RM2,000 a month. If the budget deficit is further strained, then cut down on low priority development project expenditure or phase their implementation out over a longer period until we get out of the present budget constraints.

> Step up the fight against expenditure wastage, corruption, administrative inefficiencies, and undue protectionism. All this will help increase productivity and strengthen the supply chain for basic needs.

> Explore the possibilities of reducing the widening income gap that’s causing so much resentment and that could cause social unrest.

In this connection, enforcement agencies could also be faster in countering racial and religious extremist views that often appear in video clips and are not withdrawn in a timely manner.

These very sensitive video clips can arouse negative emotions and discourage investors. The extremists can exploit hunger and poverty in the videos, which should be pulled off the Internet before they do more damage to peace, security and national unity.

The EAC will hopefully give greater priority to developing urgent measures to combat hunger and reduce poverty at a faster pace, or we will lose out on the many gains the new government has creditably achieved.

The government itself cannot solve hunger and poverty problems. Hence, let us please start a national fund against hunger, supported by the government, the private sector, and all Malaysians in the spirit of caring and national unity.

Can we take up this challenge to help overcome the pangs of hunger nationwide?

TAN SRI RAMON NAVARATNAM Kuala Lumpur