Image credit: Focus Malaysia
LANGKAWI: The government is committed to helping micro, small-and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) through the Buy Malaysian Products Campaign to revive the economy post Covid-19.
The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry will continue engaging retail partners in the traditional and e-commerce sections to drive the campaign.
Deputy Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said this was in line with the campaign's goals to boost the economy and increase the sales of local products.
"Although the Covid-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order have derailed the ministry's efforts to boost economic recovery through the campaign, we are optimistic that we will achieve at least a 2.5 per cent growth in performance and sales compared with the previous year."
Rosol said this optimism was based on the encouraging sales growth and the government's move to reopen more economic sectors.
In 2019, he said, the campaign had recorded RM2.87 billion in sales, with RM6.84 million generated through online sales.
"Last year, sales increased to RM3.3 billion, with online sales recording more than RM145 million."
He said this after opening the national-level Buy Malaysian Products Carnival at Dataran Chenang here on Saturday.
"To boost the potential of our products, the ministry is also improving the Made in Malaysia logo issuance programme.
"This is in line with the government's goal to have local products that are recognised in the domestic and foreign markets."
Stringent conditions would be imposed on manufacturers before they were allowed to put the logo on their products, he said.
"There are many products that are unique, of high quality and can penetrate the domestic and foreign markets.
"The Made in Malaysia logo will provide value-added and quality assurance about products from this country.
"We want our products to carry the Made in Malaysia logo with pride."
Present were Kedah State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Juhari Bulat, state Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Romani Wan Salim, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad and his deputy, Datuk Roziah Abudin, and Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) chief executive officer Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib.
Rosol said it was hoped that collaborations with strategic partners would be retained while bringing in new partners to boost the economy.
"These collaborations are crucial to revive and spearhead the recovery of the retail sector."
He added that the government's commitment to revive the economy through the campaign was reflected in a RM20 million allocation in the 2022 Budget.
The four-day event, which ended yesterday, was jointly organised with the Langkawi Municipal Council and Lada.
"Langkawi is the right location for this carnival as the island has attracted visitors from all over Malaysia following the introduction of the travel bubble in September.
"The government's decision to allow interstate travel has also contributed to the recovery of the island's tourism sector."
He urged people to continue supporting the government's initiatives to revive the economy.
Twenty local and regional MSME enterprises took part in the carnival.
The carnival offered product demonstrations and sales, consumer programmes, and musical and cultural shows.
During the carnival, the ministry organised the Retail Sector Digitalisation Initiative, which saw 858, or 33 per cent, of the 2,596 licensed business operators in Langkawi signing up for the programme, said Rosol.
"The ministry hopes to have at least 50 per cent of business operators in Langkawi sign up for the programme by June next year."
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/11/745467/bmpc-boosts-retail-sector