Zahid: Govt absorbs cost of transporting KR1M 2.0 goods

KUALA LUMPUR: The government absorbs the cost of transporting goods sold under the 1Malaysia People’s Shops 2.0 (KR1M 2.0) initiative to streamline the prices across the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said a special allocation was given to transport companies so that even people in Sabah and Sarawak enjoyed the same affordable prices like those in the peninsula.

“This is a proactive measure of the government and also covers the cabotage policy in terms of reducing the cost of transportation for KR1M 2.0 goods sold in Sabah and Sarawak.

“We’re putting in efforts in coordinating the pricing, especially for Sabah and Sarawak outlets.”

Zahid said the government was taking measures to provide financial assistance with a view to reducing the cost of transportation as well as distribution.

Zahid, who is also the chairman of the National Cost-of-Living Action Council, was speaking at a press conference after launching a KR1M 2.0 convenience store at KK Super Mart at the Southern Integrated Terminal here yesterday.

Zahid said KR1M 2.0 helped the people buy essential goods at affordable prices and it was not a seasonal initiative.

“The government hopes that the measures introduced by the prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) will be ongoing.

“InsyaAllah (God willing), KR1M 2.0 will continue to be implemented with goods obtained directly from the producers so as to keep the prices below the market prices.”

He said the positive response from the people had prompted the government to expand KR1M 2.0 to Sabah and Sarawak, including in the remote areas of the two states.

The branded goods sold under the KR1M 2.0 initiative were in their original wrapping and no longer sold as in-house goods in white wrapping as was done previously, he said.

The owners of outlets associated with KR1M 2.0 were existing supermarkets or shops which displayed the KR1M 2.0 logo, he said.

Fifty-two outlets selling KR1M products had been and would be opened, and the target was to have 3,000 outlets over the next three years, he said.

The KR1M outlets were now operating in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur.

KR1M 2.0 was launched last month with improvements to the old scheme.

The KR1M 2.0 comes under three categories — supermarket concept through TMG supermarket network; the product sales at selected retail outlets; and, at selected KK Super Mart department stores.