Student Hunger
Programmes on Student food insecurity/hunger
UKM has a botanical garden that serves to grow various types of food sources, especially fruits and vegetables. Examples of crops from this garden are limes, lemons, organic vegetables such as Pak choy. The produce from this garden will be given to UKM citizens who are interested.
Furthermore, there is a welfare unit under the Student Affairs Center at UKM which is responsible for managing student welfare in various aspects. Among the programs managed under this entity are the provision of food coupons to students, the provision of food banks around the campus area and financial assistance to students in need.
In 2022, there are three main channels of financial aid given to students in UKM. Among them are 32828.86 USD from the HEP welfare fund, 6258.38 USD from the endowment fund while 765595.25 USD is from zakat assistance.
Interventions to prevent or alleviate hunger among students and staff
Most of the faculties at UKM provide food bank services to students. For example, there is a KASIH unit at the Faculty of Humanities Social Sciences (FSSK). The Kotak KASIH FSSK program has been implemented continuously in guaranteeing food supply for UKM students in their daily lives so that their studies are not affected.
There are several ways UKM provides assistance in preventing or alleviating hunger among the UKM community such as food coupons, food banks and free food distribution programmes. For instance, The Healthy Basket Programme Food has benefited more than 8,000 underprivileged students by the distribution of baskets containing basic necessities given free of charge to students
1. Menu Siswa Keluarga Malaysia
UKM supports the initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) to introduce the Menu Siswa Keluarga Malaysia in all cafeterias in all UKM campuses in order to ease the burden borne by students, especially those from the low-income group (B40).
Menu Siswa Keluarga Malaysia with MoHE
2. Healthy Food Basket
The issue of the increase in the price of goods and the increase in the cost of living has received special attention from the government and the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).
In order to respond to the call of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and the government in reducing the cost impact of the increase in the price of goods, UKM also agreed to implement several immediate approaches to help its students.
UKM provides an initiative (full/partial responsibility) by introducing food packages less than a USD 1, for the price of a plate of rice, side dishes and vegetables reserved for the identified B40 student group. Regular monitoring will be taken by the principals of the boarding college to ensure that the food provided is always of good quality and healthy. Food baskets containing basic necessities are given free of charge to students and this benefits more than 8,000 underprivileged students.
Healthy Food Basket Programme
Throughout the period of 2021, the UKM Centre of Student Affairs (UKM HEP) has also distributed aid to 4107 students, with the total contribution reaching USD 43738 Meanwhile, in 2020, food basket assistance amounting to USD 209296 was distributed to 4028 students.
3. Food Bank
UKM provides food supply to all UKM citizens in the form of banks in most faculties and departments in UKM such as Faculty of Social Sciences (FSSK), Hospital Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz (HCTM), Faculty of Islamic Studies (FPI) as well as Faculty of Science & Technology (FST).
Faculty of Social Sciences (FSSK)
● Food Locker Programme
The Food Locker Programme or also known as Gerobok Mahasiswa has helped to ease the burden on FSSK students regarding the source of snacks to ensure that the students’ welfare is protected in terms of food supply. With this, students can get food supplies if needed from the FSSK Student Association (PMFSSK).
This program has directly eased the university’s burden in maintaining the welfare of students, especially regarding food supply.
This program has realized the need for adequate nutrition among students as well as supporting the aspirations of sustainable development goals for national institutions. With the organization of a program like this, it is hoped that this will reduce the burden on faculty students with regard to food and financial supplies.
Preparation of obtaining food stock for the food locker
Hospital Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz (HCTM)
● Kasih Food Bank
The Kasih Food Bank programme which was launched on 14 July 2021 is a initiative purely organized by staff from the Quality Department to help staff in other departments and students at HCTM who are affected during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to obtain supplies of basic necessities. Since this initiative was introduced, a total of 231 staff and students have benefited from this programme.
Kasih Food Bank organized by Hospital Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz (HCTM)
Faculty of Islamic Studies (FPI)
Food Bank organized by FPI
Faculty of Islamic Studies (FPI)
Food Bank by Faculty of Science & Technology Student’s Association (PMFST)
4. Food Coupon Donations for Low Income Students (B40)
The Mechanical Engineering Student Society (MESty) of the Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment (FKAB) arranged food coupon donations for students in need to alleviate their cost of living.
Food Coupon Donations to Low Income Students (B40) in UKM
5. Food Distribution Aid
Free food is given to the UKM community under programmes held by various organizations and faculties.
● UKM Felda Students’ Agreement Club (PERSADA)
The purpose of food distribution aid by PERSADA was to ensure that the welfare of UKM students is not neglected as well as to foster good relationships among students. The spirit that has been instilled in the members of will be applied to the community in order to produce a compassionate society regardless of race or religion.
Food distribution aid by the members of UKM’s PERSADA
● UKM Felda Students’ Agreement Club (PERSADA) Food Donation Distribution Programme by Student Representative Council of Faculty Social Sciences, UKM (MPPFSSK) with Red Card Cafe
● Ramadhan Souq
● KMUKM Food Pack Aid By UKM Students’ Association (KMUKM) Welfare And Volunteering Exco
UKM Supply Chain Management on Cafeteria Food
There are about 46 cafeteria operator companies at UKM Bangi campus. The cafeteria at UKM uses raw materials such as chicken, meat and vegetables in preparing food for all UKM residents. The raw materials supplied to this cafeteria are obtained from local supermarkets as well as local farmers.
Centre of Students Affairs
The Student Management and Development Center (SISWA-UKM) and the PUSANIKA Management Center (PUSANIKA-UKM) have been merged/restructured into the Centre of Student Affairs (HEP-UKM) starting on 6 August 2019.
HEP-UKM is one of the PTj in the University that provides services directly to students. This service center generally plays a role in ensuring facilities and services as well as management and monitoring activities for students including counseling services, welfare, training and leadership, volunteering and publications. In addition, this service center also acts as an advisor, facilitator and manages all student welfare matters.
UKM Supports Students from Low Income Families
UKM, particularly Welfare Unit from the Center of Student Affairs (HEP) UKM provide supports in terms of food, housing, financial aid, and transportation for students from low income families, which is B40 group. These supports have helped the students in need completing their studies.
Percentage of B40 Students Admitted in UKM for 2022 intake (Year 1)
Percentage of B40 Students Graduated in UKM
UKM Supports Students from Low Income Familes
Cafetria@UKM
An initiative of affordable food variety for everyone.
Siswa Rahmah Menu
UKM is in an effort to support the goal of sustainable development by ensuring that its citizens have zero hunger. More than 11,000 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) students are eligible to enjoy Siswa Rahmah Menu at a price as low as RM3.50.
Welfare Unit
The HEP Welfare Unit works with the spirit of prioritizing student welfare with 8 main cores:
- Food aid
- Vehicles (Welfare Services)
- Relief fund
- Insurance
- PWD & Indigenous People
- B40 Data & Educational Assistance
- Scholarships & Sponsorships
- Pusanika & Nature Education Forest
Official website: www.ukm.my/hepukm/unit-kebajikan-penajaan
Sustainability Garden@UKM
A campaign of grow your own food the easy way.
Sustainability Garden@UKM
The sale took place during a program which encourages people to plant their own vegetables as a means to cut cost and to ensure the vegetables they consume are free from pesticides.
This program also provides an opportunity to buy hydroponic set and gardening tools in addition to the sale of vegetable pots and seeds.
Botanical Garden Market
This market is held once a month at Vegetable House to sell fresh produce form Bangi Botanical, UKM.
Products sold include:
- Compost
- Lemon
- Meat
- Potted flower, herbs and plants
- Vegetables
- Limes
- Corns
Taman Lestari UKM
Taman Lestari UKM YSD@FKAB is a garden that is planted with various types of vegetables, such as lettuce, mustard greens, okra and sweet potato.
Taman Ilmu@Chancellory
Taman Botani UKM@Faculty of Science and Technology
Healthy Food Innovation@UKM
A campaign of grow your own food the easy way.
Technology of food innovation@UKM
UKMRC-9 Primera Rice
UKMRC-9 was developed through advanced backcross breeding using Oryza rufipogon as the donor parent and Oryza sativa subspecies indica cv MR219 as the recipient recurrent parent. Favourable wild alleles from O. rufipogon were successfully transferred into MR219 through marker-assisted selection. UKMRC-9 was one of the advanced breeding lines with high yield, blast resistance, low glycemic index, high fibre and red pericarp.
Innovation Centre for Confectionery Technology (MANIS)@UKM
To delivering analysis services, development and research of food products and others.
Module for Edible Bird’s Nest (EBN)
There are a total of 4 modules, both in English and Mandarin, and 4 teaching kits, making a total of 12 copyrights. The modules are of the following topics:
- Science of Edible Bird’s Nest
- Preparation of Edible Bird’s Nest filling
- Basic Hand Made Chocolate Module
- Preparation of Cordial Beverage
Fruit Juice Drink
TP 3-in-1™ is an innovation involves a specially formulated beverage consists of a mixture of tropical fruits with a therapeutic dosage of polyphenols to prevent risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Unique Kelulut SuperFood Factor (UKSF)
The Faculty of Health Sciences in collaboration with UKM’s CRIM Bioceration Laboratory has collaborated to produce the copyright UNIQUE KELULUT SUPERFOOD FACTOR (UKSF) as one of the research results from the UKM Translation Grant (2021).
Gynulin
Gynulin™ – Functional Drink for General Wellbeing is a herbal supplement product for management of blood glucose, pro-fertility and pro-libido.
Poster SDG 2
Campus Food Waste
UKM measure the proportion of food (metric ton) wasted/discarded per person on campus. To ensure sustainable food waste management, UKM measures the proportion of food wasted and discarded per person on campus.
Food Waste Management in UKM
UKM has an action plan in empowering the waste management system. One of the sources of waste production is food waste which is generated from the 20 cafeterias in the UKM campus, including in residential colleges.
Therefore, UKM also continuously runs a food waste management campaign, especially in the college cafeteria. A special bin facility to separate food waste from other solid waste is provided to ensure that food waste can be weighed and undergo further treatment. The purpose of this campaign is to increase the awareness and importance of separating food waste as found in the UKM’s food waste management guide.
Sources of Waste Production in UKM
In 2022, the amount of waste produced in UKM is 4213.24 mt where 45% of this amount of waste is food waste. Food waste from UKM is caused by cafeterias that provide food to UKM residents. There are 20 cafeterias in UKM which includes those in residential colleges.
Food waste from the cafeteria will be managed by a contractor appointed by UKM and will be sent to the main waste collection point. A special waste bin for food waste is provided at the waste collection point to ensure that food waste is separated from other domestic waste.
At UKM, this food waste is one of the sources for the production of organic compost. Food waste management is divided into two forms, namely waste from human food or waste from kitchen food preparation (organic waste) and solid waste (inorganic waste). This cause often occurs from residences (housing) and commercial areas such as markets, grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias of educational and industrial institutions.
Food Waste Management Programs in UKM
Based on the Waste Segregation Program, there are 3 basic steps which includes selecting the inorganic waste such as tissue paper and plastic food wrapping, segregating the organic waste and separating the plates and utensils into the bins provided.
UKM also made new innovations in waste management by introducing a food waste decomposition machine to maximize the effectiveness of food waste that will be used as compost.
