KUALA LUMPUR: After the recent announcement by the Higher Education Ministry on the Student Food Bank initiative, many public institutions of higher learning have taken up the call to provide food aid to students.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Students' Affairs Division director Dr Shahzuan Zakaria said the university was working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), corporate companies and private bodies to provide a food bank to help its students.
"We are working with many NGOs, such as Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia, and the Shah Alam City Council to provide food such as instant noodles, cream crackers, instant tea and coffee in every UiTM branch nationwide.
"UiTM is also helping students with food vouchers.
"They can use them at selected cafeterias on campus, so they do not need to rely on the Menu Keluarga Siswa initiative," he told the New Straits Times.
He said the food vouchers were given to students who live on campus as well as non-residents.
He said another initiative by UiTM to help students was Dapur HEP, which provides staples like rice, soy sauce and eggs for students to cook themselves.
"Dapur HEP is an initiative by UiTM staff. These are some of the ways we help our students as 80 per cent of them are from B40 families."
Students Representative Council head Rasydan Mohd Hassan, 24, said the council was concerned about students' food situation and it conducted several surveys to get feedback from students about UiTM's cafeterias.
"Most responses were good as the initiatives have helped ease the cost of living for students.
"All students, not just those in the B40 group, can enjoy the RM3.50 meals under the Menu Keluarga Siswa initiative."
He said UiTM's Student Welfare Unit continued to help students even as the government introduced new initiatives.
"The Students Representative Council is ready to help students in need. They can come to us directly or help their friends who are in trouble.
"We hope students will be provided justifications for the increase in the price of goods so that we are aware of the current situation and can acknowledge the help provided by UiTM."