LOW-INCOME families are finding it increasingly hard to have a square meal as the high cost of living bites.
They told The Vibes they have to watch what they spend on food so they opt for cheap meals and try to eat less.
Azila Ismail, 46, a mother of six children aged between 13 and 23, said she is finding it difficult to provide for her children.
She said her current job at a retail outlet in the city does not pay enough for her to prepare three meals for her children.
“I earn about RM2,000 doing two jobs: retail assistant (RM1,500) and part-time tutor (RM500).
"I’m the breadwinner in the family as my husband has a heart disease and does not work.
“My older two sons do part-time jobs while the other four are still schooling. Even with the meagre income from my sons, it is not enough for the family," Azila said.
Azila said currently all of them are staying in a rented flat in Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur.
“I try to provide two meals a day for my children, which consist of one meat and vegetables. We spend about RM500 on groceries a month depending on our budget.
“We also rarely eat out as we can’t afford it. If we have some extra income, then we might eat out.”
Azila said that her children are also trying their best to help out.
“I have one son working in a restaurant, and sometimes he brings back meals, while my 17-year-old daughter will soon start to work part-time to support herself while she sits for her SPM examination."
She said the family does not have any savings. Her husband does not have any savings in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) because he had always been a gig worker.
Azila's tale is similar to that of the 682 respondents in a recent survey conducted by the UCSI Poll Research Centre, who said they faced financial constraints in purchasing food over the past three months.
As a result of their tight financial situation, 51% said they could not eat healthy and nutritious food, 37% skipped meals, and 12% had to borrow money from friends.
The centre polled 1,381 Malaysians aged 18 and above to gauge their current perceptions of food security.
Skipping a meal or two daily seems to be a normal routine for 35-year-old V. Suren.
From the money he saves from skipping his meals, Suren is able to provide more for the family.
“As the man of the house, I have to cater for my family and ensure they get enough to eat,” said the father of three children between the ages of one and six.
He works at a call centre and earns about RM3,000 monthly.
“Even if we can’t afford a good meal, I’ll make sure my children have at least bread, eggs and sardines to eat.
“Things are very expensive nowadays and the monthly grocery expenditure alone exceeds RM500 for my family of five, including milk powder for my youngest daughter,” said Suren, who lives in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur.
Universiti Teknologi Mara Johor student, Muhammad Adam Hakim Abdul Hamid, 20, he has to carefully manage whatever allowances his family gives him.
Adam said he is the youngest of four siblings and his mother is the sole earner in the family as his father died when he was young.
“My mother earns RM2,000 a month and gives me RM300 for my allowance. So, I have to budget it carefully.
“For lunch, I will go for mixed rice at the university, which is quite cheap. So, I will eat a lot so that I don’t get too hungry later. At night, it's usually biscuits, bread or nasi bujang (budget rice).”
He said he also has to carefully budget the RM300 not only for food but other expenses.
“I also use my pocket money for my university assignments.”
As for his course fees, Adam took the Nasional Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) study loan.
Meanwhile, for Sagunthala, she has to ensure there is food on the table for all meals simply because her husband is diabetic and needs his meals on time.
“I have to make sure there is food,” the 63-year-old said, adding that eating out is a luxury.
Sagunthala and her husband stay with their eldest daughter and her family of four in Rawang, Selangor.
“Even at 65, my husband goes to work as a security guard to support the family.
“My daughter is a housewife while her husband does not have a stable income.
“We have to be very thrifty to ensure that there is food all the time," she said.
As for Masitah Ibrahim, 45, who works part-time as a trader selling a variety of goods, she said her earnings are all that she has.
"I have two children and my sales depend on how much I can spend on food. I can earn up to RM2,000 a month.
"We have two meals a day and I usually spend between RM500 and RM600 on groceries."
She said eating out is costly.
"I don't have any savings." – June 11, 2024.
