PUTRAJAYA, Feb 27- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today launched the 1Malaysia Mobile Market (PB1M), a federal government initiative to bring essential goods direct to the middle- and low-income consumer in a move to stave off price increases. The mobile market is a 16-tonne bus modified for the purpose. It will be accompanied by several small lorries, also modified, and will operate particularly in low-cost housing areas and selected community centres.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar said in a statement that the prime minister had proposed an allocation of RM3 million to launch the PB1M. He said that for a start, the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) planned to introduce the mobile market in the northern, central and southern zones. The flag-off of the mobile market today by Najib was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and other Cabinet ministers at Dataran Perdana.
A media statement said that under the initiative, based on the mobile mini market concept, retail goods, controlled items, products of local small and medium entrepreneurs and pre-packed fresh goods would be sold at competitive prices. The target groups are people in People’s Housing Projects, urban public housing projects, middle- and low-income people and victims of natural
disasters.
Meanwhile, Fama’s senior director for entrepreneur development Ab Razak Ab Majid, when approached at the flag-off, said the convoy launched today would proceed to Kuala Pahang, Pekan, to participate in the launch of the Urban Transformation Centre there by the prime minister on Friday. Eventually, the bus would operate in the targeted areas, particularly in all the farmers’ markets in the Klang Valley. He said the prime minister had requested that two more mobile markets be put into operation by April at the latest.
Ab Razak said the mobile market operating in the northern zone would be stationed in Penang and that in the southern zone would be stationed in Johor Baharu. He said the bus would be able to serve at three locations daily, bringing along goods valued at about RM20,000. Fama would collaborate with local councils in coming up with a permanent schedule of the bus route, he added.
BERNAMA
