[Nota: Tony Pua dan dua orang `Si Kitol' tidak sedar diri dari parti pembangkang, iaitu anak `Si Kitol' Anwar Ibrahim, Nurul Izzah dan pemimpin PAS (Parti Abdi Sosialis), Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad telah menyerang Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia dengan pelbagai tohmahan. Namun seperti yang dibuktikan oleh pengalaman seorang wartawan, rakyat tidak mudah diperbodohkan dan akhirnya dapat melihat penipuan PR. Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia nampaknya adalah ibarat `ancaman bunuh' terhadap survival politik Pakatan Penipu Rakyat (PR). Selain pengalaman wartawan di bawah, Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Kepenggunaan dan Koperasi, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri turut menjelaskan tentang sebab kenapa PR takut sangat dengan Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia.]
My Experience at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia
by Haider Yutim
It’s like a brand new way of campaigning. Getting closer to rakyat and showing that you know their predicaments especially the rising cost of living. Say hello to the newfound bliss of shopping in Kedai 1Malaysia (KR1M).
KR1M is part of the 1Malaysia initiative, initiated by the government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in line with the 1Malaysia slogan of “Rakyat Didahulukan”. The shop operates in a mini market format, providing various basic necessities at low prices. This initiative was inspired by Najib who is concerned about the low income citizens located in urban areas.
I recently had a chance to shop at KR1M as well as the Restoran Ukhwah 1Malaysia after catching wind of the hype from various media. It was a case of emergency actually. I needed to buy some necessities and end ended up walking into what I thought was the old Guardian pharmacy. It turned out to be a spacious outlet with and array of generic brand groceries displayed neatly.
My first thought? It reminded me of a scene of a movie where a guy is being lifted up to some bright and shiny place. The shop was blaringly white with white wall with a splash of red. It is kind of convenient for late shoppers as the location of the shop would help shoppers to beat the traffic. With signature color of Jalur Gemilang being chosen as the interior and exterior paint, you can’t miss this shop.
Shop Till You Drop!
Seriously! I am not exaggerating. You might have one single item to purchase but you will end up carrying a cartload of goods. Why? Not because Malaysians are serious shoppers. It is because the pricings are attractive. And Malaysians do love and support cheaper groceries.
I would say KR1M’s forte is its generic, consumable food brands that have been rebranded with 1 Malaysia label. So you will get 1Malaysia bread, 1Malaysia condensed milk, 1Malaysia soap, 1Malaysia minced meat, 1Malaysia detergent powder – you name it and for sure Kedai 1Malaysia have it. The shops offer as high as 33 percent in terms of savings based on normal retail prices of popular brands.
Well, this is truly 1Malaysia since ‘it give emphasis on products manufactured by small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), hence acting as a platform for the government’s continuous support to increase, enhance and expand SMEs’ products manufacturing capacity as well as sales.
Controversies
Whenever a new initiative is launched by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, it will surely be linked to some controversies of sort. This is usually created or highlighted by none other than the Opposition and KR1M have not been able to escape from it.
Recently, Democratic Action Party's (DAP) national publicity chief Tony Pua claimed that the children’s milk powder in KR1M contains over eight times the legal limit of Vitamin A which may be harmful to children. However, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai later refuted the claim saying that the milk does not exceed the maximum level of vitamin A and it is safe to consume. Besides the milk, Pua also highlighted the oyster sauce sold in KR1M did not contain oyster extracts but only oyster flavoring and preservatives and that the sauce contained less protein than required. Due to this, the Health Minister confirmed this allegation and ordered the KR1M to take it off the shelves as it showed it was below the standards under the Food Regulations Act.
Other than this, the opposition also claimed that the products in KR1M are of low quality and actually more expensive than those in hypermarkets. However, despite all these allegations and controversies, I still find KR1M a good place to shop as the store is simply convenient, comfortable, affordable, and has a friendly and welcoming environment.
Restoran Ukhwah 1Malaysia
Okay, enough with KR1M, let's look at another 1Malaysia ‘branding’ shop – the Restoran Ukhwah 1Malaysia. Despite its long name, so far I have never been to a place where you can get a roti canai and teh tarik for just RM1! And the roti canai actually tasted great... the texture is soft and flaky, just the way I like it. People are really receptive of this initiative as the restaurant is filled with hungry customers and I had to line up to get my breakfast.
Besides roti canai the shop also sells nasi lemak, mee goring as well as other local delicacies. From my firsthand experience, I would say it's an economical choice for everyone especially those who are on a tight budget.
- Malaysian Digest
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