Keeping the city’s needy in mind
DURING the breaking of fast, a table laden with delectable treats from bazaars is a common sight to behold.

Amid such abundance at bazaars, there will undoubtedly be plenty of unsold food going to waste.

To prevent this food from being discarded, Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) has continued its programme to collect unsold items for distribution to those in need in Shah Alam, Selangor.

MBSA MySaveFood @ Ramadan Bazaar is a partnership with Gema Youth Organisation, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam and volunteers, the latter this year included personnel from the Higher Education Department.

This approach not only helps to tackle the rising cost of living and promote social responsibility, but also fosters a more sustainable Ramadan tradition.

Launching the programme at the bazaar in Section 19, Shah Alam, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said, “This is the fourth year MBSA has carried out this initiative and it will take place until April 3.

“This year, three Ramadan bazaars have been selected for the programme, which is being run in Sections 13, 17 and 19.

“The programme has been implemented continuously by MBSA, considering the overwhelming response received from the Ramadan bazaar vendors,” he said.

Amirudin said he had asked state public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin to encourage other local councils in Selangor to do the same.

Amirudin and Jamaliah at the Section 19 bazaar, one of the three sites involved in the charity food drive. — Photos: SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star and courtesy of MBSA

Mentioning that the programme had also been taken up in Sepang, he said, “I was told that in Sepang, more than 100kg of food were collected on the first day,” he said.

He assured that the unsold food was safe to consume as the food had to be delivered to recipients within two hours of being collected from the bazaar.

“The food collection is assembled at 6.30pm and delivered by 8.30pm.

“The recipients are based on a list given by the respective residents associations and the food is distributed to the surau, mosque or service centre in the area,” he said.

Present at the launch were Jamaliah, Shah Alam mayor Cheremi Tarman, Batu Tiga assemblyman Danial Al-Rashid, Gema Youth Organisation vice-president Amar Masuri and Kota Anggerik assemblyman Najwan Halimi.

Amirudin said MBSA MySaveFood @ Ramadan Bazaar was first implemented in 2021, during which the collection of surplus food reached 859.3kg.

Cheremi (right) and Amar Amran (centre) helping a boy pick an Aidilfitri outfit at the latter’s boutique.

The following year it went up to 2,294kg, and in 2023, the collection weighed in at 2,958.6kg.

“As of March 19 this year, 1,679.4kg of surplus food was successfully distributed in various locations such as Melewar Apartment Section U1, Shah Alam Polytechnic, Surau Al Hijrah Ken Rimba Apartment Section 16, and Proton Flat Section 27 Shah Alam,” added Amirudin.

In a separate initiative, MBSA aided 60 underprivileged children with festive wear for Hari Raya Aidilfitri through its “Jom Beli Baju Raya” (Let’s Buy Raya Clothing) programme.

The children, aged between one and six years, come from B40 families or has a disability.

The gifts were worth RM200 each, consisting of a set of baju melayu and sampin for boys and baju kurung for girls.

The shopping trip was held at a boutique in Section 16 which also sponsored additional items such as songkok and baju melayu buttons for boys and headscarves for girls.

“This programme is MBSA’s ongoing commitment to connecting with underprivileged communities by presenting them with a token contribution in hopes of easing their preparations for Aidilfitri,” said MBSA Corporate and Public Relations Department director Mohd Azhar Mohd Sharif in a statement.

Amirudin (third from left) alongside (from left) Cheremi, Najwan, Jamaliah and Danial at the launch of the programme.

“It is also one of the council’s community programmes to foster closer ties with local communities.

“We hope this contribution can promote awareness about social responsibility and helping people in need among Shah Alam citizens,” he said.

Mohd Azhar added that the programme was in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 1 on eradicating poverty and Goal 11 regarding sustainable cities and communities.

Cheremi, MBSA deputy secretary (management) Asmah Mohd Zin and boutique owner Datuk Amar Amran were present to hand over the new clothes to the children.
Shah Alam City Council,MBSA,GEMA Malaysia Youth Organisation,MySaveFood @ Ramadan Bazaar
DURING the breaking of fast, a table laden with delectable treats from bazaars is a common sight to behold.