KUALA LUMPUR: Military personnel, their families and veterans will be able to buy essential goods at lower prices all year round under a new initiative by Pernama, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT).
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the Harga Istimewa, Tentera Sejahtera (HITS) campaign would provide discounts on more than 308 items, including food, personal care products and household necessities, with savings of up to 30%.
He said the initiative would replace the existing Jualan Istimewa Madani Angkatan Tentera (Jimat) programme, which offered discounted goods for only three days during salary periods.
"HITS means lower prices at all times, with no purchase quotas for military personnel," he said when launching the campaign at Kem Terendak in Melaka on Thursday (Oct 15).
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Khaled said the initiative was part of the ministry’s broader efforts to improve the welfare of military personnel, adding that combat readiness depended not only on defence assets and personnel but also on the well-being of those who serve.
He said the ministry had introduced various initiatives involving housing, healthcare, education, skills development and economic opportunities, with HITS focusing on reducing the daily cost of living for military families.
"Pernama was chosen to implement the programme because of its established presence in military camps and its ability to offer goods at more competitive prices," he added.
The organisation, which has operated for about 40 years, runs 80 outlets at military camps nationwide.
Khaled said Pernama had several advantages in providing affordable goods, including its nationwide network, lower rental costs at military camps and a stable customer base comprising military personnel and their families.
Under HITS, essential items such as rice, cooking oil, infant formula and bihun (rice vermicelli) would be sold below prevailing market prices.
He cited Faiza rice as an example, saying a product priced at RM31.99 in the market would be sold for RM28.50 at Pernama, while another variant costing RM38.60 would be available for RM30.50.
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Cooking oil priced at RM13 elsewhere would be sold for RM12, while infant formula costing RM21.45 would be available for RM13.80. Bihun priced at RM3.25 would be sold for RM2.50.
"If a basket of goods costs RM100 elsewhere, the same items could cost RM70 at Pernama, giving families savings of RM30," he said.
He added that the campaign would ensure promotional items remained available without previous purchase restrictions, reducing the need for military families to rush to stores during limited sales periods.
The initiative also includes a points-based system that could provide customers with additional discounts, he added.
Khaled said the programme was expected to help reduce the proportion of household expenditure allocated to daily necessities from 30% to 25%, allowing military families to save more for future needs.
He said the discounted prices would be exclusive to serving military personnel, their families and veterans, rather than being extended to the general public.
"This would enable Pernama to concentrate on its intended beneficiaries while avoiding direct competition with other retailers," he said.
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Khaled also stressed that Pernama should prioritise the welfare of the military community over maximising profits.
He said the organisation had previously recorded annual profits of between RM30mil and RM40mil, adding that its profitability should be managed to ensure more benefits could be channelled back to military personnel.
"As a government-owned entity serving the Armed Forces community, Pernama should balance its financial performance with its responsibility to provide affordable goods," he said.
He added that profits would also support employee performance, salaries and bonuses, while stronger sales could create opportunities for additional benefits and further price reductions for military families.
Khaled urged Pernama to improve and expand its services, cautioning against excessive outsourcing that could increase operating costs and undermine the affordability of goods.
He said the ministry would also consider expanding the initiative to volunteers and members of the Territorial Army in the future.
The campaign's inclusion of veterans, he added, reflected the government's continued responsibility towards military personnel even after they retired from service.
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Separately, the minister announced several initiatives to strengthen the welfare and development of military families.
He said the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) had allocated RM1.05mil for its Sekolah Angkat Madani programme, which involves 42 Armed Forces schools nationwide.
A religious primary school at Kem Terendak has been selected for the programme and will receive RM35,000.
He also said RM30mil had been allocated in next year's Budget to repair schools located within military camps.
In addition, the allocation for the Madani economic programme would be increased from RM1mil to RM1.5mil to support economic activities and development among military families.
A further RM30,000 would be approved to continue the mushroom urban farming project at Kem Terendak.
Khaled said the ministry remained committed to improving the welfare of Armed Forces personnel, noting that financial difficulties could affect their ability to focus on their duties and responsibilities.
He said initiatives such as HITS were intended to ensure military personnel and their families received sustained support while those serving remained focused on safeguarding the country's defence.
