He said the app will display a directory of places that are open which offer the meals.

He was speaking after the launch of a Menu Rahmah initiative by the Malaysian Tomyam Restaurant Owners Association at Lembah Keramat last night.

As many as 600 tomyam restaurants around the country are expected to offer the RM5 set meals.

Salahuddin said domestic trade offices would hold more meetings with restaurant operators to promote the programme and will develop a directory that will be a reference for Malaysians to find Menu Rahmah meals near them.

“We will launch the application in the near future … give us time to develop the application first,” he said.

Salahuddin said the government had never forced restaurant operators to offer set meals at RM5. Instead it came about voluntarily, he said, after an engagement session with the Mydin hypermarket chain, the Indian Muslim Restaurant Association, the Indian Restaurant Association and the Tom Yam Entrepreneurs Association of Malaysia.

“Unexpectedly after the launch, so many restaurants and eatery operators voluntarily responded to the government’s call to come together to help the people in need,” he said.

He said the Menu Rahmah programme does not incur any government expenditure or allocation. It was carried out entirely through the commitment of food operators who voluntarily joined the initiative.

“Many traders are racing to join this initiative by offering food for as little as RM5 at their outlets. This means they want to do it together in the spirit of charity without anyone being compelled.

“So, not a single sen of government money is involved,” he said.

Salahuddin launched the Menu Rahmah initiative on Jan 31 and as many as 15,000 food outlets have joined the effort, to help reduce the cost of living for the public, especially the poor.