THE cabinet okayed the Education Ministry’ free breakfast programme for schools but the Finance Ministry did not have the RM1.67 billion needed to roll it out in all schools.

This limited the programme, to be launched later this month, to only 100 schools, three different sources told The Malaysian Insight.

The initial plan was to provide free breakfasts to all primary schools, benefiting some 2.7 million pupils. 

“The cabinet approved the free breakfast programme but there was no allocation,” said one source. All the sources declined to be named as they’re not authorised to speak on the matter.

The programme will now be launched on January 20 and involve 37,000 pupils, most of whom are from households in the bottom 40% (B40) of income earners.

The Malaysian Insight understands that it will be funded by the ministry’s existing allocations.

Another source said the ministry is also getting support and funding from the private sector for the programme.

“We got the private sector led by PNB (Permodalan Nasional Bhd) to provide sponsorships,” said the source.

A third source said talks commenced between the Education Ministry and PNB in September.

The free breakfast was cited by Dr Maszlee Malik when announcing his resignation on January 2 as one of the reasons for his departure. His resignation was effective the next day.

The programme was also cited in a letter by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad advising Maszlee to resign, as one of the issues over which the former minister failed to heed advice.

The idea to provide schoolchildren with free breakfasts came about after Maszlee saw its effectiveness during a trip to Japan with Dr Mahathir in November 2018. 

The prime minister later said the programme would be funded from the sugar tax.

The implementation of the programme was them discussed in a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on April 26, 2019.

At the end of last August, Maszlee said the programme would start in 2020, adding that the ministry was still firming up the plan.

A day later, Dr Mahathir said the government had the funds to implement it.

In October 2019, Maszlee told the Dewan Rakyat that the programme is set to cost between RM800 million and RM1.67billion per annum and would involve all primary schools in the country.

The programme is intended to supplement pupils with nutritious food to facilitate growth and to help them focus on learning. 

A study by the Health Ministry found that about 70% of schoolchildren don’t have breakfast before school, while research by the World Bank found high rates of stunted growth among Malaysian children.

The ministry said last week that the first phase of the programme involving 100 schools nationwide will cost RM22 million.

The programme is to use the grab ‘n’ go concept, which will feature nutritious dairy products, drinks and snacks, such as bread, cereals, biscuits, kuih, sandwiches, fruit or boiled eggs. – January 6, 2020.