Charles Santiago
The Selangor government’s decision to provide free breakfast to 120,000 school children from August is welcome and long overdue.
At a time of rising living costs, no child should have to learn on an empty stomach. This is what investing in our children looks like.
More than a meal
Done well, free school meals can do far more than feed children. Source the food from local farmers and small vendors, and jobs follow too.
Brazil channels over 30% of its school meal budget to family farms. Some estimates suggest every 100,000 children fed can create around 1,600 local jobs.
A national responsibility
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But this cannot be left to Selangor alone.
Putrajaya once planned free breakfast for 2.7 million children nationwide. Now is the time to revisit it.
The federal government should back these efforts and help widen the reach of free meals for children across the country.
And with Negeri Sembilan heading to the polls on 1 August, every party contesting should make free school meals a clear commitment to voters.
Feeding our children today is how we build our economy from the ground up.
Charles Santiago is a prominent Malaysian politician, economist and human rights advocate who served three terms as the MP for Klang and has twice chaired the National Water Services Commission.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
