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The "Hargai Makanan, Elakkan Pembaziran" campaign, initiated on March 16, has successfully rescued a total of 570.56 kilograms (kg) of unsold food and beverages from three Ramadan bazaars in Melaka, preventing them from ending up in landfills. Spearheaded by Melaka SWCorp director Nor Zaki Md Nor, the campaign aimed to promote food conservation and minimize wastage during the holy month of Ramadan.
Nor Zaki emphasized the importance of the campaign, which involved 182 traders representing over 60 percent of traders in each bazaar. The unsold yet edible food items were collected from the Peringgit Ramadan Bazaar, Jasin Bestari Ramadan Bazaar, and Alor Gajah Ramadan Bazaar. These items will be redistributed to those in need, including students at higher education institutions and selected mosque congregants.
Explaining the logistics of the campaign, Nor Zaki highlighted that volunteers began collecting unsold food and beverages from participating traders at 7 pm each day. The collected items were weighed and, if necessary, repackaged to ensure their suitability for consumption before distribution to beneficiaries.
Over the course of two days, the campaign collected 226.7 kg of unsold food from the Jasin Bestari Ramadan Bazaar, 192.86 kg from the Alor Gajah Ramadan Bazaar, and 160 kg from the Peringgit Ramadan Bazaar. These figures underscore the significant impact of the initiative in reducing food wastage and addressing food insecurity within the community.
Nor Zaki outlined the distribution plan for the rescued food items, which includes delivering them to various locations such as mosques and educational institutions. For instance, food from the Peringgit Ramadan Bazaar will benefit around 700 students at the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) Malay Women Campus, while recipients from other bazaars include students from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) and the University College of Agroscience Malaysia.
Supported by 96 volunteers, including SWCorp staff members and students from various educational institutions, the campaign exemplifies the collaborative efforts to combat food wastage and promote sustainable practices during Ramadan. Nor Zaki expressed optimism that initiatives like "Hargai Makanan, Elakkan Pembaziran" will contribute to further reductions in food waste, building on the 2.49 percent reduction recorded in food waste at solid waste disposal sites in Melaka during the previous Ramadan.
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