McDonald’s Malaysia celebrated the official opening of its new drive-thru restaurant in Batu Kawan, Penang on December 13, 2022.
McDonald’s Malaysia said it aims to contribute to the socio-economic development and offer employment opportunities to the local community by opening this new restaurant.
The official opening ceremony was officiated by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak.
Also present at the event were Penang state executive councillor Soon Lip Chee, Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor, Zakat Pulau Pinang chief executive officer Dato’ Amran Hazali, McDonald’s Malaysia managing director and local operating partner Dato’ Azmir Jaafar and McDonald’s Malaysia chief liaison officer Datuk Seri Mohammed Nasir Rakhir.
“We are excited to be here to celebrate the grand opening of the latest McDonald’s outlet in Batu Kawan. We see Batu Kawan as a prime location in Penang, which allows us to extend our hospitality and provide more delicious feel-good moments to Penangites. Since its opening in October last year, we have received positive response from customers in this area, reaching an average of RM1 million sale every month,” said Dato’ Azmir Jaafar.
He added, “Giving back to the communities we operate in has always been part of McDonald’s DNA. With the recent opening of McDonald’s Batu Kawan drive-thru restaurant and three more outlets in the pipeline for Nibong Tebal, Relau and Air Itam, we hope to contribute to the local economy by providing up to 300 job opportunities to the people of Penang.”
Spanning 35,000 square feet, the restaurant is situated adjacent to IKEA Batu Kawan and provide the local community with a convenient and quick access to their favourite McDonald’s meal.
As part of the celebration, McDonald’s Malaysia and its charity of choice, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Malaysia, donated RM72,000 worth of “Back-to-School” packs to 1,200 underprivileged primary school students in Penang.
McDonald’s Malaysia also handed over its corporate zakat of RM250,000 to Zakat Pulau Pinang. This marks the highest amount paid to the state of Penang since the food service retailer started paying zakat six years ago.
As part of McDonald’s vocational apprentice programme, 30 students from asnaf families in Penang will officially receive an appointment letter to take part in the 18-month industry-oriented training programme, which combines 70 percent of practical training in McDonald’s restaurants and 30 percent of theoretical lessons in the classroom.
The programme, a collaboration between McDonald’s Malaysia and the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia (MoHR) under the National Dual Training System (NDTS), serves to provide the local community with education and employment opportunities, not only in McDonald’s but also in the hospitality industry.
Through these initiatives, McDonald’s Malaysia in collaboration with RMHC Malaysia, has contributed a total of RM1.1 million to the state of Penang for the year 2022.
The opening of McDonald’s Batu Kawan drive-thru restaurant is part of the company’s expansion plan across the country. It currently operates in over 330 restaurants nationwide and targets to open up to 500 restaurants by 2026.
