3753) HUKUM PEMBAZIR MAKANAN - SINAR HARIAN - 30/5/2017

                   
 Shah Alam - Kerajaan perlu mengambil langkah proaktif dengan segera bagi membendung isu pembaziran makanan daripada berterusan berlaku. Pensyarah Kanan, Fakulti Syariah dan Undang-Undang Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Dr Muzaffar Syah Mallow berkata, saranan Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) dua tahun lalu yang menggesa kerajaan supaya mewujudkan Akta Pembaziran Makanan khusus bagi mengekang budaya pembaziran terutamanya yang banyak berlaku di bulan Ramadan perlu diberi perhatian. "Melalui pengenalan undang-undang terbabit, pelbagai jenis tindakan undang-undang berbentuk penalti boleh dipertimbangkan terhadap mana diri individu atau organisasi yang melakukan atau terlibat dalam aktiviti pembaziran makanan," katanya. Kelmarin, Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar memaklumkan 50 peratus hidangan bufet di hotel terbuang walaupun pelanggan bayar dengan harga tinggi. Malah, Wan Junaidi turut menyarankan supaya satu pendekatan baharu segera diwujudkan bagi menggelakkan pembaziran khususnya pada bulan Ramadan ini. Menurutnya, pada masa sama, kerajaan juga boleh mempertimbangkan langkah Perancis yang memperkenalkan peruntukan khas melarang kedai dan pasar raya membuang lebihan makanan yang tidak berjaya dijual. "Lebihan makanan itu diberikan kepada persatuan pengguna untuk disalurkan pada mereka yang memerlukan," katanya. Beliau berkata, semua pihak harus memandang berat atas isu pembaziran makanan ini serta mengambil segala langkah yang perlu bagi membendung ia daripada berterusan berlaku. "Sudah tiba masanya semua pihak termasuk kerajaan memberi perhatian terhadap isu pembaziran makanan yang semakin meningkat," katanya. Dr Muzaffar berkata, isu pembaziran makanan tidak boleh dipandang ringan kerana ia melibatkan pembaziran bahan utama yang menyumbang tenaga kepada manusia. "Pada masa sama, pembaziran yang berlaku turut memberi impak negatif terhadap tamadun dan peradaban manusia," katanya.

3751) FIND WAYS TO REDUCE FOOD WASTAGE, SAYS WAN JUNAIDI - THE SUN - 29/5/2017

                        
  KUCHING: There needs to be a new approach to prevent continuous food wastage, especially during the month of Ramadan, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. He said among the factors contributing to food wastage during the fasting month was that about 50% of the buffet spread at hotels were thrown away just like that (after the breaking-of-fast meal) although the patrons had paid a high price for the buffet. "There should be a new approach and rule to reduce such wastage, for example, untouched leftover food from the buffet can be given away to others in need instead of simply discarding it," reported Bernama. Wan Junaidi said this when asked to comment on the suggestion by social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye for the government to hold awareness programmes to curb food wastage. Yesterday, Lee said that studies conducted by Solid Waste Management and Urban Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) showed that Malaysians wasted about 17,800 tonnes of food daily. Earlier, Wan Junaidi who is also Santubong member of parliament, handed out Ramadan welfare aid to 810 recipients including the elderly, orphans and the disabled from the Seberang Hilir and Santubong zones. Meanwhile, in Petaling Jaya, consumers have been urged to change their eating habits to avoid wastage and keep their health in check during the fasting month. “We have made the same repeated calls to the public but it is not heeded. If their buying and eating habits do not change immediately, it will affect them in the long term. “Their habits and lifestyle must start at home, or at best, as an individual by being aware and sensitive as to how much is being spent,” said Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) head activist Datuk Nadzim Johan yesterday when asked to comment on the preparations made for Ramadhan. He also noted although prices for food sold at Ramadhan bazaars generally were high, he advised the public to be prudent when purchasing. “It does not make a difference, generally speaking, if the food prices are high or low, consumers will still buy it (because of unchanged habits). This is one of the main problems which needs to be addressed by them. Instead of following the flow, be a smart consumer and find an alternative,” he said. Additionally, he said that PPIM has detected two areas in the Klang Valley where 1kg cooking oil were not made available. "The areas are Kota Damansara and Sg. Buloh. We do not know why this is occurring, but we wish to stress for distributors to resolve the issue. We will collect more information and present it to the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry soon,” he added.