KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) new students have grouses about the poor quality of food served to them during the orientation week recently.
“We have received several complaints from the new students,” Sim Kiat Leng, special assistant to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs assistant minister Chong Chieng Jen, told a press conference here yesterday.
Sim explained that during the orientation week, Unimas appointed a caterer to provide three meals a day for the students.
“The cost is RM20 per student per day, divided into RM4 for breakfast and RM8 each for lunch and dinner.
“It has to come to our knowledge that the meals provided to the new students under this programme were grossly below par and not comparable to the prices paid by Unimas.
“The meal served to them for breakfast consisted of one egg, rice and a drink while for lunch, they had only a piece of chicken and rice which costs RM8.
“This is ridiculous because with the same amount of money, the student can get two vegetables and one meat as a meal,” he said.
Sim added DAP was concerned with this issue as the students’ health and welfare were at stake.
He said that under the Pakatan Harapan government, there should no longer be any such over-pricing or under-provision of government procurement contracts which was the hallmark of the previous government.
“Such act is definitely jeopardising the student’s welfare and we do not allow this to happen.
“We hope that Unimas will conduct a thorough investigation on the matter and provide an explanation to the public about the issue,” he said.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, meanwhile, added that the university had agreed to conduct an investigation into the matter.
He hoped that the investigation would be carried out swiftly, independently and with accountably.
“This is an important issue because the students’ nutrition and welfare are our top priority.
“Even with any procurement government contracts, it is the responsibility of the contractors to provide nutritious meals to students.
