Kuala lumpur: The People's Income Initiative - Food Entrepreneur Initiative (IPR-INSAN), launched by the Ministry of Economy in 2023, has generated cumulative sales of RM20.46 million to date. Economy Minister Datuk Seri Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir stated that 1,125 vending machines had been deployed nationwide under the programme, with 58 percent of participants recording monthly sales revenue of more than RM2,000.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the programme has proven to be viable, and given the current economic conditions, there is a need to continue expanding opportunities for the people, particularly those in the target groups, to generate income. The Ministry of Economy has engaged with the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) to collaborate with the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and ensure the programme's sustainability.

This announcement was made after a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Economy and MAIWP under the IPR-INSAN programme was launched, officiated by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar. Akmal Nasrullah mentioned that the ministry would submit an application to the Ministry of Finance to extend the programme for another two years, allowing more Malaysians to generate additional income.

He noted that engagements with IPR-INSAN participants in various states, including Kedah, Johor, and Kuala Lumpur, demonstrated that target groups, particularly asnaf, had successfully increased their incomes through the initiative. Meanwhile, Mohd Na'im stated that MAIWP had identified 50 asnaf entrepreneurs to receive support under the initiative launched, which includes vending machines and entrepreneurship training.

Under the collaboration, the Ministry of Economy will provide food vending machines and fully subsidize rental costs for 24 months, and MAIWP will offer start-up capital assistance to eligible asnaf entrepreneurs to help them generate sustainable income.