KAPAR MP Dr Halimah Ali has denied that she had linked the Menu Rahmah programme to cancer, claiming that the Parliament’s Hansard will confirm this.
Recall that Dr Halimah had caused an uproar last week when she allegedly linked Menu Rahmah to the likes of cancer, autoimmune disease and autism during the Dewan Rakyat’s debate on the royal address on Thursday (Feb 14).
A brief shouting match had occurred at the Dewan Rakyat today when Hulu Langat MP Mohd Sany Hamzan called for Dr Halimah to withdraw her remarks on the Menu Rahmah initiative.
“Where did she get this from? That Menu Rahmah will cause consumers to get cancer and autism?” he demanded.
“(Halimah) has to take back (her claim that Menu Rahmah food items expose consumers to cancer and autism). She has brought slanderous statements into this August House,” Sany said during Padang Serai MP Datuk Azman Nasrudin’s debate on the royal address.
In response, Dr Halimah insisted that Sany had misunderstood her, citing the Hansard which she said does not record her making such a statement.
“What (Sany) is saying is wrong. If you refer to the Hansard, I did not say that Menu Rahmah (food items) can cause cancer. Check (the Hansard) properly with a clean heart and God willing, all will be clear,” she said.
Below is the transcript of the exchange obtained from the Hansard that was made available on the Parliament’s website:
“Tuan Yang di-Pertua, oleh kerana masa tak banyak, saya nak sebutkan tentang food security dan health security.”
(Tuan Yang di-Pertua, as I do not have enough time, I would like to talk about food security and health security.)
“Ini semuanya keperluan asas. Kita tak mahu – saya selaku doktor perubatan, takut apabila keterjaminan makanan ini mendesak dan membingungkan kerajaan.”
(These are all basic needs. We do not want – I as a medical doctor, fear when the matter of food security becomes critical, would perplex the government.)
“Kita tidak mahu shortcut, kita tidak mahu kompromi daripada bekalan makanan yang low quality.”
(“We don’t want shortcuts, we do not want to compromise when it comes to low-quality food.)
“Saya tidak ada masalah dengan istilah ‘rahmah’ atau apa tetapi jangan sampai rakyat marhaen B40 diberikan bekalan makanan yang low quality dan mungkin juga menyebabkan mereka terdedah kepada kanser, autoimmune disease, kepada autisme dan sebagainya.”
(I have no issues with the term ‘rahmah’ but do not go to the extent of feeding the B40 with low-quality food and maybe cause them to be exposed to cancer, autoimmune disease, to autism and others.)
Following the uproar, Dr Halimah had since told reporters that her remarks had been misunderstood, pointing out that the message she had wanted to convey was that the poor quality of raw materials used by restaurants for Menu Rahmah could lead to the meal’s quality being compromised.
“We are saying to the government, if you are desperate, do not forsake nutrition. How do you provide good quality food at a low price?” she was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
Menu Rahmah was launched on January 31 by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub as part of the unity government’s short-term efforts to mitigate the inflation squeeze on low-income earners.
Around 12,000 premises are currently offering Menu Rahmah, including restaurants affiliated with the Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association, the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association, Malaysia Singapore Coffee Shop Proprietors General Association and Mydin supermarket outlets nationwide. – Feb 20, 2023
Main pic credit: mykmu.net
