Rahmah Sales programme brightens up Malaysia Day celebration

KUCHING - Not even the scorching weather could stop the people from converging on the Unity Stadium to shop to their heart's content in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebrations.

A Bernama survey found visitors started to throng the sales tents as early as 7am yesterday to enjoy discounts of between 30 per cent and 50 per cent for essential items.

One of those who did not want to miss out on such an opportunity was 38-year-old Wan Mohd Syefrizee Wan Mohd Nordin, who said that he only spent about RM70 to purchase items for his family, like eggs, chicken, laundry detergent and packets of cooking oil.

"Definitely worth it... because if the usual price, I would have spent RM150 to buy these items. So, that's why I came on the first day because I expect more visitors on the second day,” said the father of two.

Wan Mohd Syefrizee, who hails from Melaka and teaches at Institut Kemahiran Mara Kuching, said such initiatives would have a positive impact on the less fortunate and those affected by the current price hike of goods.

The two-day sales programme is a collaboration between the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) and Everrise supermarket.

Various necessities such as chicken, eggs, cooking oil, sugar and flour are sold at the stalls during the programme, which was from 9am to 6pm yesterday and from 9am to 9.30pm today.

Another visitor, 53-year-old housewife Lami Putit said she planned to turn up on both days to get her hands on items which usually fly off the shelves, such as rice, eggs and Milo.

She also hopes the government can continue the Rahmah Sales programme and expand it to rural areas as well.

"Better still if such programmes are held in villages where the residents face constraints in terms of transportation to go to the cities to join in the programme,” she said, adding that had to queue up for nearly two hours just to pay for her purchases.

Meanwhile, Sarawak KPDN head of trade development section Liew Hui Chang said the Rahmah Sales programme held in conjunction with Malaysia Day offers 18 essential items.

She said the ministry, in its effort to reduce the cost of living for the people, is targeting a total of 2,000 families to benefit from the programme.

"Although there will be more of each item on sale on the second day due to its longer opening period, visitors will still be limited to purchasing only two items per transaction,” she said. - BERNAMA