{"id":69043,"date":"2025-12-03T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T02:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/?p=69043"},"modified":"2025-12-02T15:44:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T07:44:16","slug":"project-kesum-affordable-relief-or-fad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/project-kesum-affordable-relief-or-fad","title":{"rendered":"Project Kesum: Feeding The Nation Or Framing The Narrative?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there\u2019s one thing that can unite every Malaysian regardless of race, religion or backgrounds it’s this: FOOD! Not one person can deny that Malaysians have a special place for food in their hearts (and stomachs) for anything edible. We don\u2019t just eat to live, we Malaysians basically schedule the entire day around food. We\u2019ll debate over which mamak makes the best teh tarik, fight over whether KL or Penang has the better char kuey teow, and yes, some of us have willingly sat in traffic for two hours just to drive to that one authentic nasi kandar spot.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But food is one thing, cheap food that also claims to be good? Now that is a headline-worthy affair. Because nothing gets Malaysians more hyped than a promise that sounds too good to be true: a decent meal for RM5 in 2025, when even ayam goreng sometimes costs that much<\/span> by itself<\/span><\/i>. And though this is a welcome initiative in the midst of inflation and economic struggles, many Malaysians were quick to realise this all felt too familiar. If you\u2019re feeling a bit of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, you\u2019re not imagining it. There was an<\/span> RM5 menu introduced during the early days of the Madani government<\/span><\/a>, back when Rafizi was still in the picture. So it does make you wonder, is this him trying to make a point now, or is it really just\u2026 you know, for good?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Affordable, Delicious\u2026 and Slightly Suspicious<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Affordable meal initiatives aren\u2019t new, and some people genuinely rely on them. But when programs keep appearing like seasonal sales (exciting for a week, then quietly fading), it\u2019s hard not to notice a pattern. Malaysia has a habit of introducing something new or having hyped launches only for it to not stick around.<\/span><\/p>\n

And because Kesum is now fronted by Rafizi, people can\u2019t help reading into the story a little. No accusations. Just the usual Malaysian curiosity with a dash of skepticism. This hits harder than usual because <\/span>a typical meal outside in the Klang Valley will easily cost anywhere between RM12-RM30<\/span><\/a>. For students, gig workers, and office folks, that\u2019s a noticeable chunk of their daily budget.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now compare that to Kesum: a full meal for RM5 plus RM1.50 for a drink. Half the price, sometimes even a third of what you\u2019d normally pay. Portion-wise? Slightly smaller or simpler, but still a full meal. And of course by now any Malaysian would be wondering \u201cOkaylah, its cheap. <\/span>But is it any good<\/span><\/i>?\u201d Well, we checked out their google reviews and people are already weighing in and it seems like the food is not half bad but not everything is perfect yet<\/span><\/p>\n

Some diners reported 50-minute wait times for lunch, which makes sense given the low margins and high-volume model Kesum relies on. Operational kinks like cooking in batches and speeding up service are expected growing pains. But many Malaysians seem okay with waiting as they are happy to support a cause that actually feeds people without breaking the bank. Some reviews even rave about specific items, especially their nasi lemak, saying the portions were appropriate and the flavours surprisingly satisfying for just RM5. One customer noted that even with the wait, the friendly staff and careful presentation made the experience feel worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n

This mix of praise and constructive critique shows why Malaysians are both impressed and cautious. People appreciate the effort even if the system isn\u2019t perfect yet. At the same time, the familiar pattern is impossible to ignore: a low-cost meal initiative that launches with fanfare, generates buzz, and raises expectations, but still has yet to prove it can be sustained. The skepticism comes in naturally, as many watch closely to see if Kesum is truly about feeding people or a mere ploy in shaping a narrative.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our Take<\/strong><\/h3>\n

So, is Kesum a social project to serve affordable meals, or is it a social media project designed to create buzz about someone? The truth is probably somewhere in between. Over the next few months, we can watch Kesum unfold in real time. From how well it manages to serve affordable, quality meals, to how staff cope with long queues, to whether it genuinely reaches the people who need it most. Every plate, every rush hour, and every review shared online becomes part of an ongoing story we can observe, offering a glimpse into what makes such initiatives work beyond the initial hype.That is IF it does work. In other words, it\u2019s more than just a cheap meal: Kesum is a live experiment in action, and Malaysians are both the audience and the participant.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kesum\u2019s RM5 meal is turning heads at a time when even basic lunches cost RM12-30. Malaysians are loving the price, cautiously eyeing the hype, and wondering whether this initiative will last.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[256],"tags":[2985,469,2982,767,2984,2983],"class_list":["post-69043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-affordable-food","tag-food","tag-kesum","tag-lifestyle","tag-menu-rahmah","tag-rafizi-kesum-restauarant"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nKesum RM5 Meals: Affordable Relief Or Just Another Hype?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Kesum\u2019s RM5 meal is creating major buzz in Malaysia, but is it sustainable or just another passing trend? 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