THE national food bank to be launched by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on December 22 will collect non-perishable food items to be distributed to those in need.

The programme will be launched in Penang and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry will spearhead it.

“We chose Penang as our laun­ching pad for the national food bank programme because it initia­ted the food bank idea last year,” its minister, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, was quoted as saying in The Star today.

The programme is aimed at easing the burden of high cost of living and to reduce food wastage, he said.

All hypermarkets will take part, while civil society groups, food retailers’ association and hotel operators have also expressed interest in being part of the programme.  

Hypermarkets control 65% of the market capitalisation for food and retail chains in the country, he said.

Penang set up a food bank called the “Mutiara food bank” in May last year to distribute fresh food, baked goods and fruits to more than 7,000 households in the state.

The food is collected from nine Tesco outlets, restaurants and hotel chains in the state.

In June, Negri Sembilan said it would launch its own food bank to provide food for the homeless and the needy.

There are several private food bank initiatives nationwide providing basic provisions, such as rice and oil, to the marginalised. – December 5, 2018.