KOTA KINABALU: Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is working on measures to prevent wastage at food premises and hotels offering buffets.
Its Deputy Minister Chan Foong Hin said he acknowledged suggestions on the need to engage with hotel players on the matter.
He said food inequality in the country was a serious problem to the extent that even the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had reminded people against wasting food.
"We are facing situations where the less fortunate are hoping for donations so they can eat but at the same time, there are surplus of food from those who can afford it.
"The ministry will study the suggestion and we will see how to manage the problem. The concept is more or less similar to a food bank.
"We will focus on channeling surplus food for those who need it. For now, in my constituency, I have yet to do it," said the Kota Kinabalu member of parliament.
Chan was speaking to reporters during the Agrobank Ramadan iftar event at a hotel here last night.
He added that last year before the 15th General Election, the Housing and Local Government Ministry had proposed to enact a law on sustainable food waste management.
However, Chan said it would be inappropriate for him to comment further on the follow-up action of other ministry.
"But there is an initiative dubbed as MySaveFood by Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), a research and development institute, under my ministry to raise awareness on food wastage."
Also collaborating in the effort were Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (SWCorp), Pertubuhan Pemuda GEMA Malaysia (Pemuda GEMA) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Malaysia).
Earlier, Chan and Agrobank president and chief executive officer Datuk Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin presented cash donations worth RM5,000 each to Rumah Anak Kesayangan Sabah and Tahfiz Ar Rahmah centre.
The asnaf group also received duit raya worth almost RM10,000.