Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia makes eating easier on Curtin Sarawak students’ pockets

Miri – 19 July 2012 – The launch of the much-touted Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia (MR1M) at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) on 16 July 2012 means the 3,500 students at Curtin University’s largest international campus can now enjoy more affordable menu options for breakfast and lunch.

Student Council president Alan Hok Thiam Yek, a chemical engineering student, said he would normally spend about RM5 to RM6 for breakfast, but with the introduction of the Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia, he can have a set breakfast including a drink for just RM2.50.

The menu options for both breakfast and lunch under MR1M are quite extensive and offer a variety of cuisine, from local noodle and rice dishes to sandwiches and pasta. Hok added that they will appeal not only the Malaysian students but also the large number of international students at the campus.

Since the MR1M was launched in Miri early this year, the city has a total of 26 food outlets participating in the programme, including seven at Curtin Sarawak’s food court, namely Jive-A-Juice, The Station, Saffron, Breadbox, Cafe Nusa, Campus Wok and Sri Kasturi. Curtin Sarawak is only the second institution of higher learning in the state to offer the menu.

Curtin Sarawak Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Ching, who launched the MR1M at the campus along with Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry assistant enforcement officer Mohd. Fuzaimie Idlan bin Tajuddin and Hok, said the menu choices offered by the participating food court operators offered true value-for-money not only the students but also staff of the campus.

Mohd. Fuzaimie, meanwhile, thanked the food court operators for participating in the MR1M programme, stressing that it was basically a CSR (Corporate Social responsibility) programme for participating food outlets and that participation was on a voluntary basis.

In Sarawak, the MR1M programme, which was launched under the Government Transformation Programme’s (GTP) Cost of Living National Key Results Area (NKRA), requires participating restaurant operators to offer set breakfasts for as low as RM2.50 with set lunches capped at RM5. It is open to all food outlets including those serving non-halal food.

Alan Hok (4th left), Nicholas Ching (5th left) and Mohd. Fuzaimie Idlan bin Tajuddin (far right) and the participating food operators at the menu launch.