STUDENT unions want Putrajaya to find a holistic and long-term solution on the impact of higher food prices on undergraduates.

They told the Malaysian Insight that current “ad hoc” arrangements put in place by the university managements and students, like free meals and food banks, were insufficient.

Last week, about 200 students and members of civil society groups staged a protest at the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.

The rally, among others, demanded cuts in the salaries of ministers and deputy ministers, provide adequate assistance to the people and maintaining current subsidies.

The group, joined by activists from the Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat, also demanded that other subsidies not be reduced and that food supply and prices are guaranteed.

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) student union president Aliff Naif said the assistance channelled to them was limited and unable to meet existing demand.

“Help is there. At IIUM we have financial aid, representatives from the administration, lecturers and student groups also work to help affected students with free food.

“However, it is still not enough because this assistance is usually limited as we depend on donations,” he said.

More importantly, the government’s failure to address the rising cost of living affected millions of people, especially the middle class and B40, he said.

“That’s why we are pushing (the government) because it is an issue happening at the national level and they have the power to address this,” said Aliff.

The government initially removed the ceiling price for chicken and eggs as well as subsidies for bottled cooking oil this month.

The ruling was later withdrawn after receiving widespread criticism from the public.

Among the new regulations made were the new ceiling price for chicken at RM9.40 per kg and the decision not to float the chicken price.

Putrajaya will also maintain the subsidy for 1kg of cooking oil in polybag packages.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that “economic meals” would be introduced in “koperasi restaurants”, cafeterias as well as in institutions of higher learning.

According to him, the low-cost meal with a ceiling price of RM3.50, among others, will enable students to have their meals at a cost of RM20 a day.

Commenting on the move, Aliff said the implementation was one of the short-term solutions by the government.

“To me it helps but (like sticking) a band aid on a large wound because it is only a short-term solution,” he said, adding that the price of staple food for students kept going up.

They are demanding further clarification on the programme, especially on the quality and nutrition provided in the food priced at RM3.50.

Aliff added with the increase in goods, students should receive an allocation of at least RM20 a day for food, adding that the sharp rise in food prices had started two months ago, most notably for rice and side dishes.

“In the past, students could get mixed side dishes such as rice, chicken or vegetable or fish for RM5 to RM6, but now it is RM7 or RM8.

“And this is food within the university’s cafeteria,” he said, fearing the increase would affect students’ physical and mental health, which would subsequently impact their studies.

He said students, especially in major cities and in the Klang Valley, had to save money on campus to cope with the increase and even had to work two or three part-time jobs.

Meanwhile in Terengganu, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) student representatives said for now they had not felt the effects of the increase in the price of the goods, but were bracing for a possible spike.

Student Representative Council president Muhammad Asfa Irfan Mohd Razi said students are still able to get side dishes mixed with rice, chicken and vegetables for RM4.50 to RM5.

“We are aware that the increase in food prices has been felt by students in the Klang Valley. At UniSZA, probably because we are in a small town in Terengganu so the increase in prices is not too much.

“After all, some students have yet to enter college,” he said.

He said assistance was still being mobilised, among others through the Food@campus initiative with financial assistance of RM150 a month for families from the B40 group.

Asfa said a total of 2,175 students received the aid last year. This year, 489 students are getting the assistance.

He added that a food bank was also set up to allow students to access dry food items such as biscuits, bread, and instant noodles at any time.

“We do not limit donations. It just depends on the donation stock. For now we can say our stock is declining.

“We have seen a drop in contributions since the endemic transition.

“Food banks are declining, especially after the transition, but despite limitations we are also trying our best to give to the needy,” he said. – July 10, 2022.