PUTRAJAYA, Nov 17 — McDonald’s Malaysia aims to open 200 additional outlets nationwide within the next five years to cater for the demand for its fast food.
Managing director and local operating partner Azmir Jaafar said the new outlets would be opened at locations away from the 310 existing restaurants.
“For that purpose, we are in the process of hiring 10,000 workers from now on as part of our preparation,” he told reporters after attending McDonald’s Malaysia’s national level zakat (tithe) handover ceremony here.
Azmir said currently, the company employs 15,000 employees throughout Malaysia and its fast-food restaurant chain had served more than 13.5 million customers monthly since its inception in 1983, and assures that all its restaurants serve halal and clean food to every customer.
He said McDonald’s Malaysia established an Internal Halal Committee in 2013 to monitor full compliance with the standards and guidelines imposed by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) for the preparation of halal food to avoid customer doubts, especially among Muslims.
“This committee works closely with relevant officials at Jakim to obtain advice and guidelines for the preparation of halal, quality and clean food. The committee is also responsible for employee training to provide a clear understanding of the concept of halal,” he said.
Azmir said the Internal Halal Committee also conducted halal standards audits on suppliers, farms, logistics, processing, and manufacturing before the products reach all the company’s fast-food restaurants nationwide.
“Suffice to say, the halal audit activities are carried out every day,” he said.
He said McDonald’s Malaysia had also been organising corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes since its inception 39 years ago with an expenditure of between RM4 million to RM5 million a year.
Azmir said the CSR programmes included school assistance for underprivileged children, surgical aid for children with cleft lip and palate, as well as fast food donations to frontline workers since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.
He said McDonald’s Malaysia also donated about one million packs of fast food to health workers at hospitals that dealt with Covid-19 and members of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) on duty during the movement control order (MCO) since March 2020.
He added that McDonald’s Malaysia also distributed three million McCafe Americano vouchers to individuals, who received vaccines at 75 selected vaccination centres (PPVs) nationwide in September, that could be redeemed with any product purchase at all its fast-food restaurants until December 31.
— Bernama
