In an effort to reduce the cost of living, the government has proposed to rope in cooperatives nationwide to sell 100 essential goods at a lower price.
This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail after chairing a National Cost of Living Action Council (Naccol) meeting today.
According to her, these cooperatives, with 2,500 existing outlets and a 6.1 million strong membership, will be able to play a crucial role as their members are involved in wholesale, retail and agricultural activities.
They are able to reduce the prices of essential goods by reducing the involvement of middlemen, she told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
"We do not want middlemen to earn excessive profits," she said.
According to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution, who was present, the government ha already started the programme, dubbed "Program Barang Asas 100" (BA 100) in May.
The cooperative operators will first monitor the buying pattern of the consumers and then identify the most frequently bought items.
"These essential products will then be sold by them at a lower price," he said.
The Entrepreneur Development Ministry will present this proposal to the cabinet for approval, added Saifuddin.
To a question, he said the new programme was not the same as the former Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M), an initiative under the former BN administration which went bust.
The scheme saw RM300 million being given to a retail hypermarket company for it to open one cheap essential goods outlet in every parliamentary constituency.
KR1M has since rebranded as "Inisiatif Kedai Ekonomi Pengguna" (i-KeeP).
Saifuddin also announced that Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed and three others were appointed new members of Naccol with immediate effect.
Other new members are International Trade and Industry Minister Ignatius Darell Leiking, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Sdn Bhd (MDEC) chief executive officer Surina Shukri and Malaysia Youth Council president Jufitri Joha.
In another development, Wan Azizah said the government will now regulate the charges imposed by land transport terminal operators and enforce licensing for these terminals. - Mkini
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