SUNGAI BESAR, March 20 (Bernama) -- Some 8.1 tonnes of food and beverages worth about RM116,000 have been salvaged from Ramadan bazaars nationwide during the first six days of fasting this year.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Fuziah Salleh said the initiative was carried out through the MySaveFood programme by the ministry in strategic cooperation with the GEMA Malaysia Youth Organisation (GEMA).

"Last year, we implemented MySaveFood at 55 Ramadan bazaars across the country and saved 25 tonnes of food and beverages from being wasted with a value of over RM281,000," she told reporters after launching the Selangor state-level MySaveFood programme at the Sungai Besar Ramadan bazaar here today.

Fuziah said in Selangor, the programme was implemented with the involvement of three public higher education institutions, namely, Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah (PSIS); Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Islam Selangor, and managed by the Student Consumer Movement (GPS) of PSIS, Sabak Bernam, which is an active community under the Selangor KPDN Consumer Movement.

"Through GPS, the Selangor KPDN appointed a head of the bazaar who is responsible for managing MySaveFood operations such as collecting and distributing unsold food and drinks for free to target groups including university students, homeless people, welfare homes and houses of worship," he said.

"Through GPS, the Selangor KPDN appoints a head at the bazaar who is responsible for managing MySaveFood operations such as collecting and distributing unsold food and drinks for free to target groups including university students, homeless people, welfare homes and houses of worship," he said.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said the Selangor KPDN through strategic collaborations with local authorities implemented Bazar Ramadan Rahmah (BRR) in four locations, namely the Ramadan bazaars at Lotus’s outlets in Kuala Selangor, Sungai Besar, Kuala Kubu Bharu and Kuala Langat.

She said BRR did not involve any financial allocation where so far, more than 40 per cent of the traders involved at the four locations offered the Rahmah Menu, which is food and drinks sold at RM5 and below.

-- BERNAMA