KUALA LUMPUR: The vending machine initiative is bearing fruit for micro food entrepreneurs, with many earning more than RM2,000 a month, says Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (pic).
Akmal Nasrullah was speaking to the media after the launch of a “strategic cooperation” between the Economy Ministry and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) under the People’s Income and Food Entrepreneur Initiative (IPR-Insan), held at Masjid Wilayah here on Saturday (Apr 16).
Also present at the event were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Dr Zulkifli Hasan and recipients of the IPR-Insan vending machines.
“As of today, we have deployed a total of 1,125 vending machines nationwide, of which 58% of participants have proven that they are earning sales revenue exceeding RM2,000 per month, with the programme’s overall sales reaching RM20.46mil.
“We must continue to diversify opportunities for the people to generate income,” said the minister.
Akmal Nasrullah said the IPR-Insan initiative with MAIWP is the first of its kind, and the cost of the vending machines and placements would be borne by MAIWP, with incentives from the ministry.
“Since these contributions come from zakat funds, once the recipients are able to generate income and so on, our hope is for them to transition from being zakat recipients to zakat contributors,” said Akmal Nasrullah.
He also said that, despite calls to investigate the initiative over corruption complaints, the ministry’s main focus is to ensure the initiative benefits the asnaf and raises their incomes.
Akmal Nasrullah was referring to statements by politicians who demanded an audit into its effectiveness, questioned whether the machines were wasteful, and called for scrutiny over whether purchasing costs had been excessively marked up.
Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli had defended the programme as a sustainable poverty-alleviation model for the lower-income group.
Earlier in his speech to recipients at the event, Akmal Nasrullah said his personal checks on vending machines at the Sungai Petani train station and a teachers’ college in Johor showed that the meal-serving machines were popular.
Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli said the vending machines not only help these micro food entrepreneurs but also benefit consumers, who can purchase fresh, tasty food at reasonable prices in a convenient way.
