Halimah created a stir when she allegedly linked the government’s low-cost meal scheme to autism and cancer during the Dewan Rakyat’s debate on the royal address on Feb 14.
In a further exchange in the Dewan Rakyat today, Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) called for Halimah to be expelled from the House after last week’s comments.
“Where did she get this from? That Menu Rahmah will cause people to get cancer and autism?” he asked.
“That’s why I’m asking for Kapar to be expelled from this august House. She has lied in this august House.”
In response, Halimah told Sany to check the Hansard. “I never said Menu Rahmah causes cancer,” she said. “Check the Hansard.”
Below is the transcript obtained from the Hansard that is available on the Parliament’s website.
“Tuan Yang di-Pertua, oleh kerana masa tak banyak, saya nak sebutkan tentang food security dan health security.”
(Tuan Yang di-Pertua, due to time constraint, I would like to touch on food security and health security.)
“Ini semuanya keperluan asas. Kita tak mahu – saya selaku doktor perubatan, takut apabila keterjaminan makanan ini mendesak, ada membingungkan kerajaan.”
(These are all basic needs. We do not want – I as a medical doctor, I fear when the matter of food security becomes critical, it would confuse the government.)
“Kita tidak mahu shortcut, kita tidak mahu kompromi daripada bekalan makanan yang low quality.”
(“We don’t want shortcuts, we do not want to compromise when it comes to low quality food.)
“Saya tidak ada masalah dengan istilah ‘rahmah’ atau apa tetapi jangan sampai rakyat marhaen B40 diberikan bekalan makanan yang low quality dan mungkin juga menyebabkan mereka terdedah kepada kanser, autoimmune disease, kepada autisme dan sebagainya.”
(I have no issue with the term ‘rahmah’ but do not feed the B40 and hardcore poor with low quality food and maybe cause them to be exposed to cancer, autoimmune diseases, to autism and others.)
Halimah’s comments last week led to brickbats from MPs and autism-related groups, but she later told Malay Mail Online her remarks had been misunderstood.
She was reported by the portal as saying that what she meant was that the poor quality of raw materials used by restaurants for Menu Rahmah “could lead to the meal’s quality being compromised”.
The Menu Rahmah programme, under which food operators sell food at RM5 or less, was introduced in January.