KUALA LUMPUR: The highly criticised vending machine-initiative to raise the earnings of low income micro food entrepreneurs is bearing fruit, with many being able to earn more than RM2,000 a month, says the Economy Minister.
Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (pic) said a total of 1,125 vending machines have been deployed nationwide for micro food entrepreneurs, of which 58% of the participants have proven that they are earning sales revenue exceeding RM2,000 per month, with the programme’s overall sales having reached RM20.46mil.
“Therefore, looking at the viability of this programme and at the same time recognising the current economic situation, we must continue to diversify opportunities for the people – especially the target groups – to generate income,” he told reporters yesterday.
He had earlier launched 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 yesterday.
Also present was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, along with recipients of the IPR-Insan vending machines.
Akmal Nasrullah said the IPR-Insan initiative with MAIWP is the first of its kind and the cost of the vending machine and placements would be borne by MAIWP with incentives from the ministry.
“The number of hardcore poor cases, for example, has decreased to 0.09%. So, what we are implementing has certainly enabled them to generate additional income.
“That is why, when there is collaboration with organisations such as MAIWP, they can be more hands-on in terms of how assistance is channelled as contributions under the asnaf category.
“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,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Akmal Nasrullah said that checks on the vending machines at the Sungai Petani train station and a teacher’s college in Johor showed that the machines serving meals were popular.
“The micro entrepreneur at the Sungai Petani train station started three years ago and is now generating RM2,900 a month from sales alone.
“In Johor, the female trainee teachers are able to buy good meals at reasonable prices even late at night within the hostel compound,” he said.
He also said that despite calls for the initiative to be investigated over allegations of corruption, the ministry’s main focus was to ensure the initiative benefited and raised the incomes of the asnaf.
Akmal Nasrullah was referring to critics who wanted an audit into its effectiveness, questioning whether the machines were wasteful, and looking into whether purchasing costs were excessively marked up.
Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli had defended the programme as a sustainable poverty-alleviation model for the lower-income group.
Zulkifli said the target group was chosen to elevate their economic status.
“We will prepare asnaf entrepreneurs and provide them with capital,” he said.
