Santiago revives calls for reintroduction of free breakfast in schools

 

The free breakfast programme in primary schools was mooted by the then education minister Maszlee Malik in 2019. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

A former MP has revived calls for Putrajaya to reimplement the free breakfast programme for primary school- children.

Former Klang MP Charles Santiago said this was imperative to address undernourishment and stunted growth among Malaysian children, with low-income families living in poorer living conditions according to a Unicef report.

“We need to revive free meals for schoolchildren. The government can collaborate with government-linked companies (GLCs) and local entrepreneurs to provide these meals.

By engaging local food vendors, including women entrepreneurs, we create jobs and also support small businesses,

 he said at a webinar organised by Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

The free breakfast programme in primary schools was mooted by the then education minister Maszlee Malik in 2019. A pilot involving 100 schools was conducted while the programme was set to be launched in 2020.

It would have benefitted 2.7 million primary school pupils nationwide in 2020 and cost the government between RM800 million and RM1.67 billion. It was cancelled at the height of the lockdowns imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Meanwhile, Santiago urged Putrajaya to consider setting up solar panels in rural and poorer areas, saying this would reduce 

energy poverty

 and boost the transition towards renewable energy.

Energy poverty occurs when a household is forced to reduce its consumption of energy to an extent where it affects their health or wellbeing.

The DAP man also called for the progressive wage policy to be extended to gig workers and those in the informal sector, whom he pointed out have no social protection or insurance.

Santiago also said a wealth tax on the 

super-rich

 would also be able to fund essential social protection and welfare programmes, adding that a 2.5% tax on the top 50 wealthiest Malaysians would generate RM10 billion in revenue for Putrajaya.

“The rakyat’s anger is fuelled by soaring living costs and poor wages. The Madani government must address these socio-economic challenges with bold political will to turn their frustration into hope.

By tackling these issues head-on, we can reduce anxiety and build a just and fair Malaysia for all,

 he said. - FMT