More fair price shops to help low-income folks

PUTRAJAYA: More fair price shops will be set up to help households, especially those in the low-income group, to cope with the rising cost of living, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The outlets include 1Malaysia People’s Shop, 1Malaysia Textile Shop, 1Malaysia Book Shop and eateries offering the 1Malaysia Menu.

The Prime Minister said 25 more 1Malaysia People’s Shops would be set up this year and another 12 next year.

Currently, there are 169 in the country.

“The Government will also set up 16 more 1Malaysia Clinics this year and 33 more in 2016. There are now 326 such clinics in the country,” he said at a special press conference on the economy here yesterday.

Najib said the Government would also speed up the construction of affordable homes and provide a scheme for 20,000 married youths aged between 25 and 40 to own their first homes.

He said the scheme would be set up under Bank Simpanan Nasional with the cooperation of the Finance Ministry.

“Under it, an incentive of RM200 per month will be given to successful applicants to cover their monthly instalments for two years.

“It will be offered to couples with a monthly income of less than RM10,000 to purchase property worth between RM100,000 and RM500,000,” he said.

Najib also announced several measures to address unemployment, especially among youths, adding that the situation was still under control.

“To enhance the marketability of graduates, the number of participants for the 1Malaysia Training Scheme and the Graduate Employability Management Scheme will be increased from more than 10,000 this year to 15,000 in 2016.

“This will be implemented with the assistance of government-linked companies and the private sector as part of their corporate social responsibility, at a cost of about RM500mil,” he said.

Najib said the Government was also considering other medium-term measures, including reducing the number of less-skilled foreign workers, which resulted in the outflow of RM28bil in 2014 and slowed down the local wage-growth rate.

PUTRAJAYA: More fair price shops will be set up to help households, especially those in the low-income group, to cope with the rising cost of living, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The outlets include 1Malaysia People’s Shop, 1Malaysia Textile Shop, 1Malaysia Book Shop and eateries offering the 1Malaysia Menu.

The Prime Minister said 25 more 1Malaysia People’s Shops would be set up this year and another 12 next year.

Currently, there are 169 in the country.

“The Government will also set up 16 more 1Malaysia Clinics this year and 33 more in 2016. There are now 326 such clinics in the country,” he said at a special press conference on the economy here yesterday.

Najib said the Government would also speed up the construction of affordable homes and provide a scheme for 20,000 married youths aged between 25 and 40 to own their first homes.

He said the scheme would be set up under Bank Simpanan Nasional with the cooperation of the Finance Ministry.

“Under it, an incentive of RM200 per month will be given to successful applicants to cover their monthly instalments for two years.

“It will be offered to couples with a monthly income of less than RM10,000 to purchase property worth between RM100,000 and RM500,000,” he said.

Najib also announced several measures to address unemployment, especially among youths, adding that the situation was still under control.

“To enhance the marketability of graduates, the number of participants for the 1Malaysia Training Scheme and the Graduate Employability Management Scheme will be increased from more than 10,000 this year to 15,000 in 2016.

“This will be implemented with the assistance of government-linked companies and the private sector as part of their corporate social responsibility, at a cost of about RM500mil,” he said.

Najib said the Government was also considering other medium-term measures, including reducing the number of less-skilled foreign workers, which resulted in the outflow of RM28bil in 2014 and slowed down the local wage-growth rate.