KOTA KINABALU - The Price Standardisation programme implemented by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) is one of the efforts by the ministry to help standardise prices of goods in the rural areas, especially in Sabah.
Its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said, through the programme, the people in the rural parts of the state could enjoy the same prices of goods as those who live in the urban areas.
He said the government will bear the cost of transportation and transporters to deliver seven subsidised and controlled goods from suppliers in the city to selected rural areas.
"This programme covers the Distribution of Goods programme of rice, packets of 1kg white sugar, cooking oil, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Community Drumming (RON95 Petrol and Diesel).
"Without this programme, the goods would have to be sold at an expensive price due to the transportation and transporter costs which is currently covered by the government," he told reporters after the launching of the Broadcasting System at the Kota Kinabalu market, here, today.
He said during his work trip in the state, he was able to visit several point-of-sale (POS) centres to see the goods being delivered by the transporters.
"A total of 845 POS were established in Sabah and the total number of POS nationwide is 2,005.
"I visited the Bum-Bum Island, Mayok POS, Amin POS as well as the Charleys POS in Kundasang to see for myself the items being delivered by the transporters, goods being recorded and sold to the people here at the same price enjoyed by those in the urban areas," he said.
He added that this year, the government had allocated RM240 million for the Price Standardisation programme which involved the distribution of essential goods, LPG and Community Drumming.
Meanwhile, he said a total of RM400 millon has been allocated for the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation programme while another RM40 million was for the General Use Flour Subsidy programme.
Commenting on the programme that he attended, Nanta said the broadcasting tool that was installed in the market acts as a reference and advocacy channel with regard to the new norm and other matters that could be useful to the society.
"To date, KPDNHEP has installed six units at the Pekan Rabu Kedah market, Chowrasta GeorgeTown market, Pasar Payang in Kuala Terengganu, the Siti Khadijah market in Kota Bharu, the Satok Kuching market, the Pasar Tamu market and now at the Kota Kinabalu market," he said.