At buffets, Malaysians suddenly become plate-stacking champions. One round not enough – must take until the plate looks like a construction site. Then halfway through, we realise we don’t even like half the dishes. Solution? Leave it behind. Guilt? Zero. Because in our mind: “I paid already mah, so can waste lah
By Pola Singh
Food is a blessing, but Malaysians sometimes treat it like it’s endless supply. Despite rising costs, we still waste food like nobody’s business.
And here’s the kicker: during festive seasons like Ramadan, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali, food waste spikes even higher. Why? Because we over-prepare, over-order, and embrace heavy buffet culture until our stomachs wave the white flag.
Much of this waste is avoidable – perfectly edible food thrown away because of poor planning, expired dates, or simply because we bought too much.
Why Malaysians Waste Food
Behavioural studies show we’re not just careless – we’re culturally wired for wastage:
• Hospitality & Over-ordering: In Malaysia, “generosity” means ordering more than enough. At weddings or gatherings, it’s considered shameful to run out of food. So we pile up dishes until half ends up untouched.
• Misunderstood Labels: Many Malaysians confuse “Use By” (safety date) with “Best Before” (quality date). Result? Perfectly safe food gets thrown away.
• Shopping Habits: With improved living standards, we buy in excess. But without meal planning, half the groceries rot in the fridge before anyone touches them.
• The Buffet Mentality: Hotels and eateries prepare massive spreads to meet expectations of “variety.” Health regulations mean leftovers can’t be kept, so trays of food end up in the bin.
Buffet Syndrome: The Kiasu Olympics
At buffets, Malaysians suddenly become plate-stacking champions. One round not enough – must take until the plate looks like a construction site. Then halfway through, we realise we don’t even like half the dishes. Solution? Leave it behind. Guilt? Zero. Because in our mind: “I paid already mah, so can waste lah.”
And don’t forget the “too nice” syndrome – forcing friends to eat what we think they like. Next thing you know, they’re suffering in silence. Be nice in other ways lah – don’t waste food by being “over-nice.”
Chinese Wedding Dinners: Stomach SOS
Eight to ten courses, non-stop parade of food until your stomach wants to lodge a complaint. If our stomachs could talk, they’d scream: “Respect me lah, I’m not a bottomless pit!”
Here’s a radical idea: at the start of the dinner, declare loudly, “I promise not to overeat!” Then let everyone at the table monitor you like anti-waste officers. Peer pressure works wonders.
Parents, Don’t Train Mini-Wasters
Parents, please don’t overfill your kids’ plates until it looks like Mount Everest. Teach them early: “Don’t waste food, ah boy.” Otherwise, they grow up thinking wasting is normal.
Fridge Graveyard
How many of us buy extra groceries “because cheaper lah” only to let them rot at the back of the fridge? That poor vegetable sitting there for three weeks is basically begging for a funeral. Same with leftovers from family gatherings – we cook like feeding the whole kampung, then throw half away.
The Real Solution
Food wastage is not just about food – it’s about attitude. If we can waste food, we also waste electricity, water, clothes, time, money. Malaysians must stop being kiasu and start being responsible lah.
So next time you’re at a buffet, wedding dinner, or festive open house, ask yourself: “Do I really need this extra plate, or am I just being greedy?” If guilty, raise your hand lah. Admit it. Then change.
Because food is a blessing – not a toy for your kiasu stomach.
Pola Singh is a Malaysian writer and retired civil servant, best known for documenting his Sikh-Chinese heritage and life journey from humble beginnings in Melaka to a distinguished career. Pola's life story is inspiring. Despite the challenges, he excelled academically, earning a degree in economics from the University of Malaya. He went on to serve as Director-General of the Maritime Institute of Malaysia and worked at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.
Pola Singh is a true Malaysian treasure! He's a social activist, writer, author, and passionate advocate for green spaces, particularly in Kuala Lumpur. As co-founder of ‘Friends of Bukit Kiara’, he's fought tirelessly to preserve the city's green lungs, ensuring Bukit Kiara remains a haven for nature lovers.
A prolific writer, Pola has authored three books: "My Reflections of Life", "Uphill — The Journey of a Sikh-Chinese Kampung Boy" and “Reflections – Life Lesson from a Fulfilled Journey”. His writing journey continues in the media focusing on life, health, family, ageing gracefully and social issues.
Now in his mid 70s, Pola remains active, advocating for environmental conservation, community development, and social justice. He's a testament to the power of determination, education, and community service.
Pola Singh (mediaplayer1717@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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