By Zareef Muzammil
KUALA SELANGOR, July 3 — A parent has acknowledged her child’s growth is on the right track since adopting nutritious food intake habits through the Anak Selangor Anak Sihat (Asas) initiative.
Salmiah Mohd Zaimi, 37, who lives in Kampung Assam Jawa, said her only child Nawalia Tzulfa Khairul Zul Azizi did not suffer from stunted weight but rather her weight is in line with her age which is now four years old.
“Since her birth, I fed Nawalia nutritious food. During that period her physical development was visible, based on the weight graph for age.
“I am grateful to the state government for providing this nutrition kit, which has helped me to save up to RM400 a month. Otherwise, it would be expensive, and I hope it will be continued to help the children’s development,” she said.
Salmiah was speaking at the handover ceremony for the kits, where she was presented with a nutrition kit by Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari as part of the Jelajah Selangor Penyayang roadshow at Stadium Utama Kuala Selangor here yesterday evening.
For Araika Ismaruhina Ismail, 26, she hopes the nutritious food pack can help her three-year-old daughter Aireen Miqayna Mohammad Mahatdir, as she has a weight problem at only nine kg.
Despite having an appetite and regular vitamin intake, Araika is worried about Aireen Miqayna’s physical development, her third child out of four children.
“In fact, I met with a food specialist several, but there was no change in her. So I hope the nutritional food given can make Aireen Miqayna gain more weight,” said the Kampung Api-Api resident.
On June 28, Selangor’s public health advisers said the state government will distribute nutritional food packs to about 720 eligible children via the Asas programme.
Dr Mohammad Farhan Rusli said the packs will be distributed for five consecutive months to children one to six years of age.
Through the programme, children will receive packs including full cream milk powder, cracker biscuits, cereals and multivitamins to help calcium absorption and to strengthen their bones.
