Target to place 5,000 vending machines under IPR achievable - Rafizi

PETALING JAYA - The Economy Ministry is expecting the procurement of the remaining 4,900 vending machines targeted this year under the People's Income Initiative (IPR) programme will be completed within two months from now.

Its minister Rafizi Ramli, said the ministry is currently in the process of selecting and evaluating qualified and capable applicants through an ongoing open procurement process.

"Our aim is also to ensure that these facilities are available in public places including hospitals. Usually the demand for these low-priced ready meals is highest in public places such as campuses and hospitals.

"We have approximately 10,000 people waiting for (vending) machines. The first hundred machines have gone through the procurement process, and will be completed this month," he told reporters after visiting the IPR vending machine site at University of Malaya Medical Centre (PPUM) here, today.

He added that his ministry was going through the selection process for the procurement of the next 4,900 vending machines, in order to achieve the target of approving 5,000 vending machines nationwide under this initiative. - BERNAMA