Georgie (second from left) and Samin (third from left) launching the Menu Rahmah programme at KTYS Sembulan campus cafeteria.
KOTA KINABALU (Feb 24): Sixty-five food premises in Sabah are offering Menu Rahmah meals as part of the government’s initiative to provide affordable food in lieu of the rising costs of living.
State Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) director Georgie Abas believes that this makes Sabah the state with the second most number of food and beverage operators offering the RM5 meal package in the country.
He said even though the government does not provide subsidy or financial aid to the operators, his ministry has been working hard to promote the eateries to encourage more people to visit, and they are also monitoring them to ensure the meals offered meet the standards of quality and quantity.
“The Menu Rahmah programme is a private-driven initiative. We encourage more food operators to join this programme as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to help alleviate the burdens caused by rising costs of living. The profit margin might be small due to lower prices but an increase in the volume of food orders will still allow them to make an earning.
“Those who take part also have more potential to develop their businesses as my ministry will promote eateries involved in the programme through our social media as well as leaflets,” he said when launching a Menu Rahmah programme at the Yayasan Sabah Technical College (KTYS) campus cafeterias on Friday.
According to Georgie, KTYS is the first institute of higher learning in Sabah to offer Menu Rahmah RM5 meal sets at both of their campuses in Likas and Sembulan.
The two eateries are open to the public and not limited to the college students and staff.
KTYS chief executive officer Haji Samin Haji Ongki said the move to join the programme is part of their efforts to assist those in need, and they have been carrying out various other initiatives in pursuit of this endeavour.
“For example, we have set up a charity fund for students who are in need of assistance. We also cook free meals for them every Friday,” he said, adding that the campuses currently have around 700 students and 200 staff altogether.
Members of the public can look up for the premises that offer Menu Rahmah sets throughout Malaysia via the KPDN portal at https://menurahmah.kpdn.gov.my/.