SOCIAL media users have chided the Community Communications Department (J-Kom) on its simulation of a kitchen budget for a month for the people.

J-Kom, in its post, has questioned if it was true that kitchen expenditures had increased from RM200 to RM500.

The J-Kom poster on Facebook showed a simulation of the kitchen budget for one month.

The department said an estimated spending for a family for a month was RM397.80, which comes up to RM99.45 per week.

It listed six items that a family of four with a minimum household income of RM1,500 could buy.

The graphic listed two whole chickens for RM37.60, two 10kg bags of rice (RM38 per bag), two bottles of cooking oil (RM13.80), a carton of 30 eggs (RM14), two jumbo loaves of bread (RM8.60) and a cylinder of gas (RM19 per month).

For singles, their estimated budget is RM234.60 per month and RM58.65 per week.

The department did not state how it had arrived at that amount, and it had factored in other goods not stated in the graphic such as vegetables and fruits.

“The items taken into account are basic kitchen items that are commonly used by most people,” it said.

“For attention, this is an example of the calculation of controlled items and government subsidies only, not including other items.”

However, the post was greeted with scepticism.

Facebook user Fey Zullah posted: “I thought this was a fake poster.”

User Siti Wahidah Durahim posted: “The Health Department has said differently that we must have a balanced diet. Eggs are not enough.”

User Empat Enam posted: “Can you eat rice + fried chicken/fried egg + bread + plain water every day…?”

Another user Uda xr posted: “Maybe the minister’s household eats like this every week, congratulations minister.” – July 12, 2023.