No gov't cash for 'menu rakyat' eateries

Restaurants will themselves bear losses from the Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia programme.

Pledging this when met yesterday, Ukhwah restaurant manager Idris Sani Mukthar also asserted that the restaurant receives no other government assistance other than in publicising the programme.

This includes a listing on the Domestic Trade Ministry's website , in newspapers, and two banners.

Despite the low prices , Ukhwah Cooperative president Rahim Baba, which owns the restaurant,  told  Malaysiakini  his restaurant was still able to rake in around RM300 in daily profits.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak visited the Ukhwah Restaurant on Tuesday to publicise the low-cost meal.

Media outlets the next day prominently featured photos of Najib having his purportedly RM3 lunch - rice with two portions of chicken, a portion of fried meat, bean sprouts, and 'poppadom'.

Spinning the PM's meal?

Explaining the low prices, the public relations manager of Ukhwah Cooperative said they source their groceries directly from a wholesale market.

"Normally we go directly to the Selayang wholesale market, (which is) cheaper than the normal market," said Nikmatul Azlan Mohd Said.

Addressing doubts over the price of the meal Najib touted during a press conference on Tuesday, Rahim admitted that it actually cost the premier only RM4.

However, he was quick to add that's was only because the prime minister took an extra piece of chicken.

"Maybe the newspapers made a mistake," he said.

Plus points for the meals

Rahim also said that the Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia prices are half the normal price, and that he intends to extend the offer to all of the restaurant's lunch meals from next week on.

However, when the charges for Najib's extra portions were added in, his total bill came up to RM5.

The basic lunch package at Ukhwah Restaurant costs RM3, which entitles one to a serving of rice, vegetables, a portion of meat, poppadom, and a glass of syrup.

Additional portions are RM1 each.

This would have pushed up a total cost of the premier's meal to

RM5.

The Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia programme was launched on July 7 to tackle the rising cost of living.

Under the programme, participating restaurants have to provide low-cost breakfast and lunch to win the Domestic Trade Ministry's endorsement.

Restaurant owners may decide on their own meals and prices so long as they do not exceed the set price ceiling.

The programme has now chalked up around 1,000 participating restaurants, and estimated to expand to 3,000 under the 2012 Budget.

Customers come a'pouring in

During lunchtime yesterday, Ukhwah Restaurant entertained a steady stream of office workers, though not all ordered Menu Rakyat lunches.

A travel agency employee Andrew Pang said that though the portions were small and the variety of food poor, overall it was still acceptable.

He visited the restaurant on a colleague's recommendation.

When met, Djohanis Kamarudin, an Employees Provident Fund staff, was also trying the lunch for the first time and had taken an extra piece of chicken.

When asked, Kamarudin said it was the best meal he had for RM4.

"Compared to other places, a similar meal would surely cost more than RM6," he said, expressing his intention to return often.