Hamzah: KR1M products must show expiry dates

Hamzah inspects the packaging on a bottle of 1Malaysia cooking oil. Looking on is Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry Sarawak director Datuk Stanley Tan.

KUCHING: All food products sold at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) must now bear expiry dates on the packaging, said Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

“We have an Act under our legal system which requires the display of expiry dates on products, and therefore all products bearing the 1Malaysia logo at KR1M must have expiry date printed on the packaging.

“There is ongoing perception that KR1M products sold to consumers are almost expired. We do not want to have such perception anymore. I will discuss with suppliers to put expiry date and also date of production,” he told reporters after visiting a KR1M outlet at Bangunan Baitulmal here yesterday.

Hamzah went on to visit other KR1M outlets at Mile 12 Kuching-Serian road and in Serian.

There are currently 33 KR1Ms throughout Sarawak and the ministry has plans to set up six more such outlets, he said, depending on discussions with the respective members of parliament there.

Based on his visits to the KR1Ms here, he said he found the 234 1Malaysia products and their prices similar to those sold in KR1Ms in the peninsula.

“There is no truth KR1M products cost more here. This is line with the pledge made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib who inspired the creation of KR1M which sells products of good quality and same price nationwide.

“The level of quality assessment for 1Malaysia products sold in KR1Ms is something we can be proud of,” he said.

He also expressed hope that KR1M, which is based on mini market format, can sell a variety of products instead of those bearing 1Malaysia logo only.

He explained this is for the convenience of consumers especially those in bigger towns so that they do not have to go to different shops when doing their grocery shopping.

On another matter, he said the ministry was ready to face the high demand for food products for the coming fasting month of Ramadan in June despite the current hot spell which might affect the production volume of vegetables and other raw materials.

He said the ministry was in discussions with the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to make sure there is sufficient supply of food items for

Ramadan. “We are always ready. Our supply and demand strategy is based on forward thinking,” he said.

 

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