KUCHING: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is encouraging more grocery shops in Malaysia to take part in the Consumer Economic Shop Initiative (I-KeeP), where supermarkets and grocery shops offer a variety of daily necessities at affordable prices.
Its Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen (pix) said I-KeeP was part of the government’s strategic cooperation with the private sector (supermarket chains and cooperatives).
“Since the I-KeeP initiative was launched, it has received an encouraging response from consumers, and has been able to somewhat lighten their burden,“ he said after the closing ceremony of the Buy Malaysian Products campaign and Hawkers and Petty Traders Day celebration here, tonight.
As of April, six supermarket chains and cooperatives have established strategic cooperation with the government, namely Tunas Manja Group (TMG), KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn. Bhd. (KK Super Mart), Segi Cash & Carry Sdn. Bhd. (Segi Fresh), Koperasi Permodalan Felda Malaysia Berhad (D’Mart), Koperasi Orang Melayu Kerajaan Perak Berhad (SKOMK) and Big Supermart Sdn. Bhd. (BIG Supermart), while in Kuching, only one retailer, namely Everwin, has taken part.
In another development, Chong said the three-day Buy Malaysian Products carnival was to encourage more consumers to support and buy goods made in Malaysia.
He was previously quoted as saying that many local products were being successfully marketed overseas every year, and that the manufacturing sector accounted for around 28 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). — Bernama
