Students criticise Ahmad Maslan's 'cook your own meal' advice

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan was criticised over his advice to university students to practice the habit of cooking their own meals instead of eating outside.

The suggestion to 'cook your own meal' was given by him aimed to alleviate students from bearing the burden of goods and services tax (GST) .

The advice was given by him during a forum aimed at explaining GST to students of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in the Dewan Seri Budiman, UiTM Shah Alam on Saturday.

However, a substantial number of the university students have argued that his suggestion was impossible to practise as universities forbid students from cooking in campus.

Some had also tweeted that cooking appliances and water heaters are also not allowed to be brought into campus.

lepas nie kalau principal nk rampas rice cooker , aku nk ckp ahmad maslan suruh masak. xdak rice cooker xbleh masak kan. hihi
— Shira Nordin (@AdekManehh) April 11, 2015

@AshrafAriff Ahmad Maslan briefing GST kat bebudak UiTM, dia suruh students masak. Padahal UiTM tak benar students masak dalam dorm
— Asrul Muzaffar (@asrulmm) April 11, 2015

Ahmad maslan suruh student U masak jgn mkn luaq utk elak gst. Camna nk masak? bawa periuk pun kena rampas.
— dn. (@haibara_aiiii) April 11, 2015

Ahmad Maslan suruh mahasiswa masak instead of makan luar. First of all..KALAU AKU MEMANG BOLEH MASAK KAT KOLEJ, ISU NI TAK TIMBUL!
— Ke Ai ᵔ (@sofeasoeraya) April 11, 2015

However, in Ahmad’s latest tweet, he said cooking one's own meals was something practiced by his son while studying and staying outside the university campus.

Also, he said as a student, they should be wise in terms of choosing proper outlets that offer reasonable price for dining.

(1) UiTM & GST..anak sulong saya belajar di UiTM sblm ke UK. Di UiTM makan di hostel & duduk luar kampus pernah masak sendiri/makan di kedai
— Ahmad Maslan (@ahmadmaslan) April 11, 2015

(2) UiTM & GST: kantin, kafe, kedai makan patut tak naikkan harga sbb bekalan mentah makanan tak kena GST & peniaga boleh claim input tax 6%
— Ahmad Maslan (@ahmadmaslan) April 11, 2015

(3) UiTM & GST: jika duduk luar kampus sesekali masak, bahan mentah makanan tak kena GST atau pilih kedai yg harga patut & bijak berbelanja!
— Ahmad Maslan (@ahmadmaslan) April 11, 2015