KL to kick off free breakfast plan for poor primary kids
Separately, a food scheme will be widened to 123 universities and colleges from current 21
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Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (second from left) and his wife, Datin Seri Norhayati Musa, visiting the Universiti Malaysia Kelantan food bank last November. With them was deputy vice chancellor for student affairs and UMK alumni, Professor Zaliman Sauli (second from right).
PHOTO: BERNAMA
Nadirah H. Rodzi Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur, Nadirah H. Rodzi
The Malaysian government is rolling out a plan next week to provide free breakfast to poor primary pupils in rural areas, while separately, a food bank and meals programme for undergraduates will be expanded to 123 universities and colleges from 21 now.
The two government initiatives show that while South-east Asia's third-biggest economy has a bulging middle class, it is also grappling with pockets of poverty in both rural areas and urban settings.
These families are grouped under the so-called B40 or Bottom 40 whose median monthly household income is lower than RM3,000(S$995).
Most of these poor students are Malays, a bonus for the Pakatan Harapan government, which has been struggling to woo Malay voters.
Acting Education Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that the free breakfast plan for students will be targeted at the poor, tweaking a plan by the previous education minister to feed all pupils regardless of their socio-economic background.
"We will continue with the programme... and focus on those who can't afford to have breakfast. But to provide breakfast to all means that those who have money, who are rich and eat a lot at home will also get it," Tun Dr Mahathir told reporters. "So this is not fair," he added. The first phase is set to cost RM22 million and involve 37,000 pupils as well as 1,600 teachers.
The programme will start on Monday at 100 primary schools nationwide. These are selected for their high number of students from B40 households.
Still, the change of plan for free food targeted at poor pupils has raised concerns among some parents who believe that all schoolchildren should be fed.
"In many countries where they implement a programme like this, what they find is that this kind of segregation can contribute to bullying, and sometimes where kids who are 'deserving' being too ashamed to claim the breakfast programme. I hope they take this into consideration, and not just walk back for the sake of change," said one Facebook user named Mani Annamalai.
Echoing the same sentiment, another parent identified as Janice Tan Jee said on Facebook: "It causes a lot of disharmony in the school environment."
Meanwhile, the Food Bank Siswa (undergraduate) programme will be expanded to 123 institutions, including teacher's training colleges and polytechnics. said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Tuesday.
The programme was launched last year to help undergraduates from poor families in campuses around the country.
Food Bank Siswa is a spin-off from another government initiative, Food Bank Malaysia (FBM), to assist B40 households.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin said a one-stop collection and distribution centre for the FBM programme, which will be set up in Kajang town, Selangor, is expected to begin operations next month.
