JOHOR BAHRU: Dr Gary Ko, 51, the perennial philanthrophy who on many occasion, during festive seasons and other hard times arranged for quantities of fish from his business to be given to the needy to avert destitution is continuing with dispensing more fish.

Understanding the difficulty faced by a number of charitable homes, orphanages and old folks homes which are currently facing tough times due to shrinking public donations he continues assisting them.

Moved by the plight of these poor people struggling to put food on the table, Dr Ko doled out the catch that his company gathered to these people.

Every year during festive seasons like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali and Christmas, he never failed to help the needy and those from the B40 group.

He knows what these poor families are going through because it’s difficult to get fish with the current bad weather.

Moved by the struggles of the poor during these difficult times, Dr Ko has made it a point to donate fish to poor families during festive seasons.

“They have other commitments besides getting food for their dependents as many have large families and they have other expenses too,” he lamented.

He said fish these days is not cheap because of the rainy season when fishermen don’t want to go into deep waters for their catch.

The inclement weather has deterred fishermen from venturing out into the sea, thus making their catch slender and costly.

“The catch they bring in from shallower waters is not plentiful and is higher priced,” he said.

“How can the poor afford fish in this type of situation?” asked Dr Ko.

He said he just want to help the needy and provide them with fish for their diet.

“What I give them is not from the rivers but from the sea. A serving of bawal, tenggiri and siakap one day a week should go some way in providing variety to their intake,” he said.

To ensure his fish stays fresh all the time Dr Ko has recently purchased a nitrogen freezer ensuring the freshness and quality of perishable goods.

He said by displacing oxygen with nitrogen, these freezers offer a range of benefits that extend shelf life, preserve taste and texture, and reduce food waste.

One of the most significant advantages, he said, of nitrogen packaging is its ability to extend the shelf life of perishable foods. By reducing exposure to oxygen, nitrogen helps slow down the deterioration process, keeping products fresher for longer periods.

“This is particularly beneficial for delicate items such as fresh produce, seafood, meats, and bakery products, which are highly susceptible to spoilage,” he said.

He explained that by extending shelf life, manufacturers can minimize the likelihood of products spoiling before reaching consumers, thereby reducing waste and improving sustainability throughout the supply chain are revolutionary in the food packaging industry, providing a number of advantages that improve product quality, increase shelf life, and decrease food waste.

These innovative machines provide a regulated environment that maintains the integrity and freshness of perishable foods by replacing oxygen with nitrogen.

He went on to say that the growing consumer demand for food that is both fresh and of superior quality highlights nitrogen packaging as a crucial technological advancement in fulfilling these demands. Using nitrogen generators improves the food supply chain’s sustainability and efficiency while also helping manufacturers and retailers.

Using nitrogen to package food is helping make the future of the food industry better and more sustainable. It helps keep fresh fruits, fish and veggies fresher for longer, maintains the taste of high-quality meats, and reduces how much food gets thrown away worldwide.

As technology gets better and what people like to eat changes, using nitrogen to package food will keep being an important way to make food packaging and consumption better.

Dr Ko who has been in this fish wholesale industry for more than 20 years said in this way his fish will never get spoilt or produce any smell.

Come September 12, Dr Ko will be hosting a mooncake festival dinner for the orphans. This dinner is to show his love and care for these children who either come from single parents or broken homes.

There will be lots of prizes and gifts in store for these children. “I want these children to be happy and enjoy themselves,” he said.

For Dr Ko he will continue providing for the penurious at all times not just on festivities but as and when their needs arises.
He said happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. No one has ever become poor by giving.

Dr Ko has always believed in this maxim that giving opens the way for receiving.