By: Azman Zakaria
Photo: Marina Ismail
SERDANG, March 28 - Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) launched Putra FoodBank which provides and supplies food to asnaf and hardcore poor students.
Through Putra FoodBank, students who are entitled for the aid are identified and supplied with the much-needed food so that they are able to focus on their learning without having to worry about food.
Food stocks provided by suppliers are stored at the ‘centre storage' located at UPM Student Complex before being distributed to the students.
Putra FoodBank is managed by student volunteers and supervised by the Student Affairs Division (BHEP). The programme is a joint collaboration with Food Aid Foundation and Yayasan Foodbank Malaysia, the strategic partners of the programme, as well as Kechara Soup Kitchen and Mutiara Foodbank.
The foods are donated by TESCO, Giant Hypermart, AEON and 99 Speedmart. Putra FoodBank was launched by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Also present were the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Muez Abd Aziz; UPM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato' Dr. Aini Ideris; UPM Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman; and President of UPM Student Representative Council (MPP), Muhammad Izzuddin Rosli.
In his speech, Datuk Seri Saifuddin said that he was proud of the initiative which receives supports from the university's administration and MPP as it provides another platform for underprivileged students to get food aid.
He said it is the aim of the ministry to run the Student FoodBank programme at all Public Higher Learning Institutions (IPTAs) this year, in line with its efforts to ease the burden of the cost of living faced by underprivileged students. In her speech, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato' Dr. Aini said that UPM also gave high priority in ensuring and enhancing the well-being of underprivileged students so that they could focus on their learning.
"The setting up of Putra FoodBank is timely as it reflects the continuation of efforts taken by UPM in providing assistance to its students," she said.
Muhammad Izzuddin said the recipients were identified from data obtained from BHEP and the Centre for Management of Waqf, Zakat and Endowment (WAZAN), UPM. The recipients will also be given an ID card to facilitate the food collection process.
At the ceremony, 10 asnaf students received food aid which was handed out by Datuk Seri Saifuddin. - UPM
