The Auditor-General has been urged to investigate the status of the nasi lemak vending machine project previously spearheaded by Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli during his tenure as Economy Minister, amid concerns over its effectiveness and potential wastage of public funds.
UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi called for a full review by the National Audit Department to determine whether the initiative under the Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR-INSAN) programme is still viable, properly managed, and free from inflated procurement costs.
He also questioned whether the project had achieved its intended objectives or whether it risked becoming another example of public resource mismanagement, drawing comparisons with other government kiosk initiatives that had reportedly underperformed.
The vending machine programme, introduced on 26 February 2023 by the Ministry of Economy, was designed to help B40 households generate additional income by selling items such as nasi lemak through automated machines, with the first 100 units rolled out in June 2023.
According to critics, the initiative, which reportedly carries a budget of around RM750 million, should be closely scrutinised to ensure transparency and accountability, particularly given its scale and public interest.
General political observers note that public infrastructure and social entrepreneurship programmes often attract scrutiny from both sides of the political divide, especially when questions arise over cost efficiency and long-term sustainability.
The call for investigation comes after PKR Vice-President Datuk Seri R. Ramanan recently criticised the project during a party convention in Johor, further intensifying political debate over the performance of the initiative and broader economic policy direction.
