PUTRAJAYA: Efforts to reduce the cost of living for the population and provide consumers with a cheaper price option, like what was implemented last year, will be extended this year with several programs focusing on people, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) said.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 5, KPDNHEP said the programs include sales campaigns such as back to school, as well as during holidays and the celebration of the national month to give consumers the choice to make planned purchases.
Keluarga Malaysia’s maximum price control program (SHMKM), which was launched on December 7 last year to stabilize prices of basic necessities, will be extended until February 4 this year, while the Malaysian Family Sales Program (PJKM) which started on December 2 will continue until March, he said.
KPDNHEP said the cashless retail transaction initiative, the Retail Digitization Initiative (ReDI), would be scaled up nationwide after being implemented in Terengganu and Sarawak last year.
The initiative, among other things, aimed to encourage the registration of e-wallets by consumers during shopping transactions and to create a cashless community ecosystem.
The KPDNHEP said the crackdown operations will continue to be carried out through Ops Cakna, Ops Pasar and Ops Menu to ensure that no side benefits from the floods that have hit the country.
With regard to assistance to flood victims, KPDNHEP through the Flood Volunteer Team (SSB-KPDNHEP) assisted victims in Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur through flood clean-up activities.
The ministry, through FoodBank Malaysia, also channeled ready-to-eat food aid to the victims.
To date, SSB-KPDNHEP has assisted a total of 171 flood-affected families in Shah Alam, Banting, Dengkil, Sepang, Kapar, Semenyih, Klang, Puchong and Pahang, while a total of RM344,200 in the form of ready-to-eat food was channeled through FoodBank Malaysia.
Meanwhile, KPDNHEP said the value of wholesale and retail sales increased by 5.4% to RM116.4 billion in October 2021 from RM110.5 billion in 2020.
“It shows that the sector regulated by the ministry is still registering a positive development even though the country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as floods and rising commodity prices,” KPDNHEP said. – Bernama
