The Muamalat Newsletter Vol. 2 2023

MenuRahmah: APilot Studyof Intention to Purchase Authors: Amirul Amri Zainuddin and Wan Rasyidah Wan Nawang Faculty of Economics and Muamalat Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Introduction The Rahmah umbrella, also known as Payung Rahmah or the umbrella of mercy, was introduced by the Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Kos Sara Hidup (KPDN), under the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on January 11, 2023. The term Rahmah signifies the unity of individuals within a single, unified entity during challenging times. The Rahmah umbrella programme encompasses various initiatives, such as Menu Rahmah, Bakul Rahmah, Kafe Rahmah, Jualan Murah Rahmah, and Barangan Rahmah. The Menu Rahmah initiative was officially launched by KPDN on January 31, 2023, offering affordable lunch or dinner sets at participating restaurants for RM5. The programme is primarily aimed at the B40 income group and the hard-core poor, aiming to provide them with a sufficient meal. Big restaurants and eateries lead the way in promoting and offering Menu Rahmah. For example, MydinMohamedHoldings Berhad (Mydin) is a prominent restaurant known for its promotion and provision of Menu Rahmah. Today, numerous major and small restaurants have implemented their own Menu Rahmah menus, with some hailing it as a crowd- puller. The late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, a former KDN Minister, maintained that while the word Rahmah, which stems from the Arabic word, is a fundamental Islamic religious concept, it should be interpreted as a holistic approach to fostering wellness among the average Malaysian. FEM eNewsletter | Dec 2023 68