Volunteers (right) collecting unsold food from traders at the Ramadan bazaar, to be distributed to the less fortunate.
Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) teamed up with two non-governmental organisations to collect unsold food at Ramadan bazaars and to deliver them to underprivileged communities last month.
MBDK Corporate Communications Department director Norfiza Mahfiz said the unsold food was collected under the MySaveFood @ Ramadan, a nationwide programme that aimed to save unsold food at Ramadan bazaars and distribute them to the needy.
The initiative was done over a five-day period in late March at the Ramadan bazaar at Jalan Sri Sarawak, Taman Sri Andalas.
There were a total of 166 stalls at the bazaar in Klang.
“The MySaveFood @ Ramadan programme was a joint initiative with Pertubuhan Pemuda Gema Malaysia and youth organisation Ikram Muda Klang,” said Norfiza.
“It was a team effort to feed the less fortunate and at the same time reduce waste being sent to landfills.”
She said the team of volunteers collected 1,016kg of drinks and food.
This included kuih, noodles and rice-based dishes.
Most of the food was given to residents who live in the shop lots at Jalan Sri Sarawak 19, Surau An-Nur and Asrama Bengkel Daya, Klang, which houses physically challenged individuals.
She noted that there was an increase in food wastage during the fasting month compared to other months.
Norfiza added that the unsold food collected under the programme equalled to an estimated 1,800kg of carbon emission that would have been emitted if dumped in a landfill.
