Domestic Trade Ministry to focus on people-centric programmes to help reduce cost of living

PUTRAJAYA: Efforts to reduce the people’s cost of living and give consumers a cheaper price option like what was implemented last year will be extended this year with several people-centric programmes, says the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP).

In a statement on Wednesday (Jan 5), KPDNHEP said the programmes included sales campaigns such as Back To School, as well as during festive seasons and national month celebration to give consumers a choice to make planned purchases.

The Keluarga Malaysia Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMKM), which was launched on Dec 7, last year, to stabilise the prices of basic necessities will be extended to Feb 4, this year, whereas the Malaysian Family Sales Programme (PJKM) that began on Dec 2 will continue to be held until March, it said.

KPDNHEP said the cashless retail transaction initiative, the Retail Digitalisation Initiative (ReDI), would be expanded nationwide after being implemented in Terengganu and Sarawak last year.

The initiative, among others, was aimed at encouraging the registration of e-wallets by consumers in making purchase transactions and creating a cashless community ecosystem.

KPDNHEP said enforcement operations will continue to be carried out via Ops Cakna, Ops Pasar and Ops Menu to ensure that no parties will take advantage of the floods that hit the country.

On assistance for flood victims, KPDNHEP, through the Flood Volunteer Squad (SSB-KPDNHEP) has helped victims in Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur through the post-flood clean-up activities.

The ministry through FoodBank Malaysia has also channelled aid in the form of ready-to-eat food products to the victims.

To date, SSB-KPDNHEP has helped a total of 171 families affected by the flood disaster 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 items has been channelled through FoodBank Malaysia.

Meanwhile, KPDNHEP said the sales value of wholesale and retail trade rose 5.4% to RM116.4bil in October 2021, compared to RM110.5bil in 2020.

"This shows that the sector regulated by the ministry is still recording positive development even though the country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as floods and rising prices of goods,” said KPDNHEP. - Bernama