Traders have to stop hoping for additional subsidies - Ameer Ali

SHAH ALAM - Mydin Mohamed Holdings Berhad (Mydin) managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin advises sellers offering Menu Rahmah to not expect additional subsidies to continue selling the meal set.

He said the government has already informed that the menu was a private driven initiative to those who wanted to help those who were unfortunate to get food.

He said Menu Rahmah was a voluntary effort and not mandatory for all food traders.

"I hope traders do not ask the government for additional subsidies because the initiative implementation is only one way to help our community.

"The government has actually provided lots of subsidies for eggs, cooking oil and imposing ceiling prices for chicken.

"Not only that, the fish that we buy at the market are actually subsidised as the government provides diesel to fishermen," he said when contacted on Tuesday.

Previously, Sinar Harian reported that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry will conduct a comprehensive study in the near future to study incentives for traders involved in the implementation of Menu Rahmah that was introduced last February.

Meanwhile, Ameer agreed if the government was to implement targeted subsidies where only the needy will benefit from it.

He said the government needed to create a scheme to help subsidy target groups such as the low-income groups (B40).

He also stressed that the Menu Rahmah initiative did not give fame to the government as claimed by some traders.

"I don't think Menu Rahmah sale will benefit Mydin, the minister or any shops that sell the meal set as I believe that the initiative only benefits the people who can't afford a meal.

"However, I understand small traders' complaints of not being able to sell Menu Rahmah due to small profit gained. If the group (the sellers) felt burdened, then there is no need to sell the set because it is not compulsory," he said.