KUALA LUMPUR: The RM5 Menu Rahmah programme being offered at 15,000 halal outlets will be expanded to include non-halal restaurants.
Read more: Part 1: Rahmah initiative to be expanded to cover four new areas
Read more: Part 2: What inspired minister to moot Rahmah idea
This addition to the list will cater to non-Muslims who may prefer non-halal meat like pork to chicken or fish being offered at Indian Muslim and Tomyam food outlets.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the ministry would be engaging with industry players on the menu to ensure the plan's practicality.
"I will discuss with them (food industry players) on the suitability of the menu.
"If it's pork, then what kind and which part would be suitable as there may be premium cuts, just like chicken," he said, adding that the ministry had been taking note of the non-Bumiputera community's request for food aid.
Salahuddin said the introduction of the non-halal RM5 Menu Rahmah was part of a slew of initiatives that the ministry was introducing and sustaining.
Patrons of several non-halal eateries the New Straits Times met welcomed the ministry's latest initiative, saying it would help them massively with savings.
Teo Cheng Huat, 60, said he would be able to save about RM2 per meal with the non-halal Menu Rahmah .
Teo, who is a food server, said he would usually spend between RM7 and RM8 for his daily mixed rice.
He said although pork was slightly more expensive, he was excited and looking forward to trying the menu at participating eateries.
Businessman Manoj Kamar, 45, commended the extension of the Menu Rahmah to non-halal eateries, saying that it was a fair initiative for all Malaysians.
"This is fair for all because usually for RM5, you should be able to get either halal or non-halal meat as part of your dish."
He said the initiative should be continued for a couple of years and not as a one-off programme.
Housewife Connie Lugun, 57, said the new menu would allow her to stretch her ringgit as her lunch at a non-halal eatery would cost RM10 on average.
The rising cost of food, she said, took her by surprise as the same chicken and rice meal her son had for RM3 in 2018 now costs RM7.
"It's a good initiative and I can't wait to try it. I am also happy to be able to cut my spending by half."