KUANTAN: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has allocated RM6.3 million for the first phase of the Rahmah Sales programme in Pahang this year, said Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh.
She said nearly 500 Rahmah Sales programmes were held in the state in 2023, and the ministry anticipates an increase in the number of events this year.
“Each parliamentary constituency organises the programme at least twice a month. The demand from the public is also high, and therefore, we are willing to increase the allocation considering the amount allocated in Budget 2024 is RM200 million,” she said.
She told reporters this after inspecting the implementation of the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme for Chinese New Year 2024 at a supermarket here, with Pahang KPDN director Jezlily Jamaluddin also present.
Elaborating, Fuziah said the Rahmah Sales programme, implemented through three models, namely in-premises, off-premises and #kedaicarirakyat, has received positive feedback from the public.
“An impact study found that 72 per cent of respondents believed the initiative helped people cope with the rising cost of living, while 63 per cent felt direct benefits of Rahmah Sales and hoped for more frequent events with additional items, but we focus on essential goods,” she said.
Meanwhile, she said up until yesterday, 1,607 inspections had been conducted since the maximum price scheme was implemented on Tuesday, involving 2,200 enforcement personnel and 900 price monitoring officers assigned to strategic locations nationwide.–Bernama
