THE Domestic Trade and Consumerism Ministry is mulling a “good Samaritan” law to protect those who give away excess food to the needy, minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.

The idea is an extension of Saifuddin’s food programme, which collects excess food from donors such as hypermarkets to feed the poor.

He said countries such as China, Australia and France already had such laws in place.

“Having such a law will encourage people to contribute to the initiative that helps those in need while tackling food waste.

“On one side, you have parties with excess food that will go to waste. On the other, there are citizens facing cost of living pressures. We just don’t have a law that looks into this,” he told the Dewan Rakyat tonight when addressing point raised in debates on the 11th Malaysia Plan mid-term review.

Saifuddin introduced the food bank initiative in Penang last year when he was strategic adviser to then chief minister Lim Guan Eng. The Mutiara Food Bank programme has been a success.

Through the ministry, similar projects have piloted in Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and the Federal Territories, Saifuddin said.

He said he was introducing the programme in Kelantan on Sunday, with Giant hypermarket participating as the food donor.

“The Prophet Muhammad once said if you want to soften your heart, feed the poor,” Saifuddin said.

Fahmi Fadzil (PH-Lembah Pantai) said Saifuddin had started a good initiative and a good Samaritan law would encourage non-governmental organisations to participate.

Saifuddin said many NGOs had long been feeding the needy and now the ministry could assist them through the food bank programme.

“There are no cash incentives in this programme. We can help arrange for interested hypermarkets to contribute their unsold food.”

Maria Chin Abdullah (PH-Petaling Jaya) asked if the government could arrange to have food donors focus on the B40 group.

“We can facilitate as long as we can identify the recipients,” Saifuddin said. – October 31, 2018.