More M’sian items in hypermarkets soon

Easy to make: Hamzah trying his hand at making chapati during the launch of the ‘Buy Malaysian Products’ promotion at the Giant outlet in Setapak. Looking on are Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism secretary-general Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh (left) and Ashdown (second from left).

KUALA LUMPUR: More will be done to ensure at least 30% of products sold at hypermarkets are “Made in Malaysia” to help offset the rising cost of living.

Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said presently, only 10% to 15% products found on shelves at hypermarkets were made by bumiputra small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).

“Last year, some 13,500 stock keeping units offered by hypermarkets were produced locally. We can do better than this.

“SMEs must work closely with the ministry to see how we can better assist them in getting their goods into hypermarkets,” he said after launching Giant’s “Buy Malaysian Products” promotion at its newly opened Setapak outlet here yesterday.

Some 95 local suppliers are participating in the promotion which ends on May 18. Over 600 products are being offered.

Hamzah said the Government would give some “flexibility” to hypermarket chains which worked closely with it.

“I will not announce what it is but will do so in due course,” he said, adding consumers would pay less for home-made products.

Some 1,000 bumiputra SMEs currently supply goods to five hypermarkets nationwide.

In his speech, GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd regional director (Malaysia & Brunei) Datuk Tim Ashdown said 15% of total sales of 8,500 products offered by Giant were made locally.

He said the company was targeting to increase the number of local suppliers to 80 this year, in addition to the 130 suppliers who supplied 600 products to Giant last year.

Later, Ashdown presented a RM50,000 mock cheque to MyKasih managing director Jeffrey Perera to sponsor 50 families in Setapak for a year.