Good Samaritan law to protect FoodBank donors, recipients - DPM

GEORGE TOWN,  Sept 20 -- A bill, based on the concept of ‘Good Samaritan Law’ will be tabled in Parliament to protect donors and recipients of the FoodBank programme, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

She said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is expected to table the bill end of the year.

“Hotels are reluctant to donate their food for fear that something will happen to the recipients after consuming the food. So the bill is important to protect them," she said in her speech when opening the Food Bank Malaysia Foundation and Appreciation Night for the contributors here tonight.

She said to expand the Foodbank Malaysia program, the FoodBank Malaysia Foundation was incorporated last Jan 7.

The foundation will coordinate the development and implementation of this program nationwide, she added.

Wan Azizah said since the Foodbank Malaysia program was launched last Dec 22, 430 supermarket branches had agreed to participate in the program.

“As of August 2019, a total of 311,189 households have benefited from the program," she said.

She said early this year, Foodbank Siswa was launched following the decision of the National Cost  of Living Action Council (NACCOL) to assist graduates in public universities.

She said through meetings with 20 public universities, it was found that 70 to 80 percent of the students were from B40 families.

"To date, 13 public universities have participated in the Foodbank Siswa programme,  involving 3,820 students," she said.

Among those present at the event were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Penang State Assembly Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang.

-- BERNAMA