More strategic partners for KR1M to prevent monopolies

PARLIAMENT | The government is set to add more strategic partners in the new 1Malaysia People's Shop (KR1M) initiative to supply products using their original brand labels at affordable prices.

The move is also aimed at preventing monopolies by certain parties, said Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Chong Chieng Jen.

Chong said grocers of high-calibre and with strong financial positions would also be added to the list of partners from time to time.

"In addition, the sale of cheap goods is no longer a priority under this initiative, rather, what is being promoted is the sale of goods using their original brand names at affordable prices," he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Chong said this in reply to a question from S Kesavan (Harapan-Sungai Siput) on the measures taken by the government to achieve its objective of establishing the KR1M store chain.

He added that the ministry would conduct a consultative process and take into account the views and feedback from various parties to determine the items to be offered under the new initiative.

Answering a supplementary question from Salim Sharif (BN-Jempol) on whether the new KR1M initiative was deviating from its original goal of offering cheaper priced goods, Chong said based on public feedback, goods sold at these stores previously were neither cheap nor of quality.

"This is based the complaints we have received and we are of the view that the prices of goods are controlled by market forces, we should not interfere too much in pricing," he said.

The KR1M initiative had been fully shut down on Oct 30, 2017, however, it was revived and rebranded as KR1M 2.0 in February this year by the previous BN government.

- Bernama