‘Payung Rahmah, a standout brand’

Fuziah: Rahmah Sales programme has benefited over five million consumers

KUALA LUMPUR: The Payung Rahmah initiative has emerged as a standout brand for the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry under the Madani government’s one-year leadership, says Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh (pic).

The initiative now encompasses the Rahmah Package, Rahmah Baskets, Rahmah Sales and Menu Rahmah, with the most well-received being the Rahmah Sales and Menu Rahmah.

“It is estimated that the Rahmah Sales programme has benefited over five million consumers who would line up and wait for hours for discounts ranging from 10% to 30%,” she was quoted as saying during a interview on RTM’s Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme yesterday.

According to Fuziah, the success of the Rahmah Sales programme has inspired the ministry to introduce the Mobile Rahmah Sales through the Kedai Cari Rakyat initiative, with trucks bringing goods to B40 areas, including villages, flats and People’s Housing Programme (PPR) areas.

The Payung Rahmah initiative, which was introduced early this year by then Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, is aimed at helping people deal with the rising cost of living.

Fuziah said the ministry had hoped for the approach to serve as a short-term solution for the people and to sustain this for several months.

The initiative had begun with a small allocation of RM100mil before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, provided an additional RM50mil.

“The entire RM150mil allocation was channelled to provide discounts to consumers,” she said.The ministry, said Fuziah, is also prepared to face the monsoon floods by allowing wholesalers and retailers in specific areas to increase the stock of their essential goods by up to 30%.

Logistical preparations have also been made to deploy the ministry’s food bank to flood-affected areas, she said.

With the approach of the new year, she said the ministry will focus on the implementation of targeted subsidies for diesel and cooking oil.

Fuziah said the ministry will identify trucks transporting essential goods, which would be eligible for diesel subsidy cards, to prevent certain goods from experiencing price hikes due to increased transportation costs.

As for targeted cooking oil subsidy, the ministry will identify mechanisms to assist consumers, she added.