KUALA LUMPUR – Dr Halimah Ali (Kapar-PN) has denied asserting that Menu Rahmah offerings will pose cancer risks to diners, claiming that Parliament’s Hansard will absolve her of the statement.
Halimah proclaimed her innocence during a brief shouting match in the Dewan Rakyat today, which erupted when Mohd Sany Hamzan (Hulu Langat-PH) insisted that she withdraw her remarks on the Menu Rahmah initiative.
“(Halimah) has to take back (her claim that Menu Rahmah food items expose consumers to cancer and autism).
“She has brought slanderous statements into this august House,” Sany said during Datuk Azman Nasrudin’s (Padang Serai-PN) debate on the royal address.
In response, Halimah insisted that Sany had misunderstood her, citing the Hansard which she said does not record her uttering such statements.
“What (Sany) is saying is wrong. If you refer to the Hansard, I did not say that Menu Rahmah (food items) can cause cancer.
“Check (the Hansard) properly with a clean heart and God willing, all will be clear,” she said.
Halimah’s assertion, however, appears to ring false as a quick check by The Vibes with the Hansard for Parliament’s sitting on February 14 revealed that the lawmaker had indeed said that those who opt for Menu Rahmah offerings could be exposed to various ills.
“I have no problem with the term ‘rahmah’ but don’t let (the initiative) get to the point where low-income citizens are given low-quality food supplies (that) might cause them to be exposed to cancer, autoimmune disease, autism and so on,” she was quoted as saying in the Hansard.
Halimah had previously drawn flak for her comment, with Dewan Negara member Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi labelling the statement as an insult to the disabled community in Malaysia.
Urging everyone to respect the sensibilities of persons with disabilities in the country, Ras Adiba also called for Halimah to be brought to the Committee of Privileges for further action.
The Autism Inclusiveness Direct Action Group had similarly condemned Halimah for her remark, highlighting how the claim is not based on facts or scientific data.
Echoing similar sentiments, autistic peer support group Autism Initiatives Malaysia-High said that “having an MP who is a trained medical doctor stating that ‘low-quality’ food could cause autism is appalling, as there is no science behind it”. – The Vibes, February 20, 2022
