Delivering his winding-up speech on the royal address at the Dewan Rakyat, Salahuddin said the initiative might be called Menu Kasih Sayang.

“If the restaurant is non-halal, then we do not want to use the name Menu Rahmah,” he said.

“An association of Chinese businesses who want to offer this menu suggested we use the name Menu Kasih Sayang,” he said.

Salahuddin said his ministry is open to holding engagement sessions with other Chinese associations who might be keen to offer food at affordable prices.

He also rejected the claim that Menu Rahmah food, which is priced at RM5 and below, is of poor quality.

“Menu Rahmah offers premium dishes,” he said.

“As the minister, I will not accept any trader making a menu (which consists of) poor quality rice, fish or chicken.”

Kapar MP Dr Halimah Ali has been criticised for linking the Menu Rahmah programme to cancer and autism while debating at the Dewan Rakyat last week.

She has since denied claiming that the Menu Rahmah meal scheme can cause cancer.

However, the transcript obtained from the Hansard available on the Parliament’s website showed that she said the B40 and hardcore poor should not be fed “low quality food” that could “cause them to be exposed to cancer, autoimmune diseases, autism and others”.