IPOH, April 11 — Over 18 tonnes of food and drink at Ramadan Bazaars were saved and distributed to the needy throughout the country since the beginning of the holy month under the MYSaveFood Ramadan 2023 programme.

Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Fuziah Salleh said the programme, with the involvement of Ramadan Bazaar traders organised by Pertubuhan Pemuda Gema Malaysia (Gema), was an initiative to reduce food waste at bazaar locations.

"They have conducted it themselves previously but this year they are the ministry’s strategic partner, so we want to start this effort to sasve food,” she said at a media conference after launching the Taman Cempaka Rahmah Ramadan Bazaar and the MYSaveFood Ramadan programme here today.

Fuziah said the initiative also contributed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), namely reducing half of the total food wastage by 2030 and creating a zero-hunger world.

In a separate development, she said the ministry and two strategic partners, Touch n Go and Boost, will continue to expand the Retail Digitalisation Initiative (ReDI), aimed to ensure that traders are not left behind in the national mainstream digitalisation.

"A total of 43 traders from 53 stalls at this bazaar have adapted cashless payments, where they can provide a variety of payment methods, including structuring their businesses with more systematic cashflow records,” she said.

The Taman Chempaka Rahmah Ramadan Bazaar, which has operated since the start of Ramadan, has 53 stalls, 35 of which are offering an assortment of Rahmah Menus for Muslims breaking their fast. — Bernama