Stores Participating In Aid Schemes Must Offer A Greater Variety Of Consumer Products

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THE Madani government is pumping billions of ringgit via the SARA and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s special RM100 assistance schemes to help the people as well as boost retail trade.
The supermarkets, emporiums, retail chains stand to gain from this multi-billion ringgit subsidy.
However, the situation in these supermarkets and retail chains leaves a lot to be desired as the choice of merchandise is very much limited and does not cater to all races who have special preferences for certain items.
Now, it is the Deepavali festive season and a lot of Indians are visiting supermarkets and retailers for festive purchases.
A random look at these participating supermarkets and retailers shows that few or none of the items needed by Indians are available, not only during the festive season but at other times also.
As such a large number of Indians have to go to the ‘Little Indias’ in Brickfields, Masjid India, Klang and Rawang to make their purchases of local and imported festive and everyday items.
Although there are many Indian manufacturers and entrepreneurs as well as importers offering numerous items specifically for the Indian community, none of these can be found on the shelves of the supermarkets and retail chains.
This is pure discrimination and the government needs to act on these complaints. The billions of ringgit of assistance scheme business given to the supermarkets and retail chains to help stimulate the economy as well as encourage more business for local manufacturers and entrepreneurs has failed to fulfil its objective.
On the contrary it is the multi-nationals and the big companies who benefit as the shelves are full of their merchandise, with very few local ones.
The government needs to ensure that only supermarkets and retail chains that offer a wide variety of items that cater to all ethnic groups and races will be included in its list of approved participating stores.
Even though it is stated that there are literally thousands of items that can be bought under the assistance schemes the reality is that one cannot find the consumer items that one needs or wants.
What is the point of having such a large list when the items for your particular needs are not available due to partiality or preferential reasons practiced by certain businesses?
As a result one finds the SARA, the Selangor senior citizens RM150 voucher and the one-off RM100 assistance recipients buying whatever is available instead of buying what they really need.
The couldn’t-care-less attitude of Malaysian supermarkets and retailers needs to go. The government has to ensure that participating retail outlets fulfil fair and equitable requirements unlike the non-participating ones who are free to sell what they want. 
V. Thomas is a Focus Malaysia viewer.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKTT
- Focus Malaysia.

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