Monday, December 5, 2011

KEDAI 1 MALAYSIA

The truth is now revealed. A total of 13 food products sold at Kedai 1 Malaysia outlet did not comply with the Food Regulation 1985. The Health Ministry has ordered the manufacturers of the products to conduct random laboratory test on all 250 food items sold at Kedai I Malaysia.

The Kedai 1 Malaysia was launched by PM Najib in June this year whose purpose was to provide cheaper grocery items for the rakyat at a time when cost of such items has spiraled to unimaginable levels. When launching the first Kedai 1 Malaysia at Kelana Jaya LRT Station, PM Najib said, “It is (1 Malaysia) not ceremonial, rhetoric or something distant. It has moved forward to offering the people products and services that meet their needs”. The products sold at Kedai 1 Malaysia were to be priced at 30% to 40% lower than market prices and to be operated by Mydin Mohammad Holding Bhd.

Malaysians consumers has once again been hoodwinked by unscrupulous food manufacturers and retailers into believing that the grocery items sold at Kedai 1 Malaysia are of fine consumable quality and reasonably cheaper. It was in early November when opposition parliamentarian Nurrul Izzah and Tony Phua conducted tests on some canned food items and found that the food content did not meet the specification labeled on the can. When a complaint was launched, the initial reaction by the shop owner was to deny (already an embedded culture among Malaysians) this despite providing visible proof. The same goes for the authorities who reacted likewise, supposedly thinking that this is another opposition ploy to discredit the government.

While Malaysians welcomed the government’s effort to provide the rakyat with cheaper food, the health authorities obviously wasn’t too concern about the quality of the food. It surely does not require the opposition parliamentarians to do the check to ensure that the food sold a Kedai 1 Malaysia meets the health and safety specifications; rather it is the responsibility of the health authorities. Obviously the health authorities have failed the rakyat this time and had unduly caused health concern to the rakyat, besides having short changed them.

Now, getting at what PM Najib had said at the launch of the first Kedai 1 Malaysia, it is obvious now that the concept of Kedai 1 Malaysia is mere rhetoric; not an honest and sincere initiative of providing the rakyat with cheaper and good quality grocery products, but a business concern where profit making is utmost. And to the owner of Kedai 1 Malaysia, I say that it is a crime to sell and feed the rakyat with food that do not meet the health and safety standards, and it is even worse when the content is short changed.

I just wonder if any of our minister’s families ever patronized Kedai 1 Malaysia. If they haven’t, why don’t they try?

CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

17 comments:

bruno said...

Dato,this Kedai 1 Malaysia is a sick idea coming out of sick minded people from Najib's GOM.All the neccesities like sugar,cooking oil,rice to even gasoline and electricity have been monopolised by Umnoputras and their cronies.

And these Umnoputras and their cronies have to split their profits with their political masters.So to make more money they have to sell at inflated prices.That is why neccesities like foodstuffs are selling at such high inflated prices.

To get the prices of foodstuffs lower they have to take the monopolies away from these political leeches.Monopolies caused prices to be higher because of zero competition.Free market has lots of competition,so prices are lower.Even a fool would know this,so the politicians must be worst then fools.Stupid fools of a donkey's is what Najib's guys are.

joolee said...

For the same reason they don't use public transport or send their children to kebangsaan schools. They know it's sub-standard but they don't care because they're rich – at the rakyat's expense.

bruno said...

Dato,the setting up of Kedai 1 Malaysia are ideas of political fools.To have Kedai 1 Malaysia for what?To complete with these small mon&pop and sundry stores.These small stores are already fighting for their survival,and don't need any more competition from the government.

If the Umno government is really serious,then take the monopolies away from their cronies.To have Kedai 1 Malaysia exists,and make a profit they have to complete with the mon&pop stores.So to complete they have to get in cheaper goods.And the cheaper goods they are getting are from suppliers who are setting up shop at the back of garages.

Cheaper prices come lower quality goods.That is common sense economics.Many imported imitations of quality brands of goods from China can be gotten for the price of a song.LV,Coach and even Rosmah's favourite brand of handbag,Birkin too.You name it you got it.Sometimes even experienced representatives from these manufacturers cannot tell the difference from these imitations.

These good for nothing politicians sure will know one thing.That if they patronise the prostitutes operating from the lorongs,their chances of getting STD are higher.But if they go for the high end whores then the chances of getting infected with STD is lower.

So what is the difference of paying for lower quality food and lower class whores.What you pay is what you will get.Common sense economics that stupid fools of the Umno GOM cannot understand.Under hudud laws,one who steals or rob,if caught can have the hands chopped off.If get caught for comitting adultery,the punishment can ask CSL of MCA.

Frankie said...

Dato',

Firstly the ministers and their families only shop for their groceries at specialist delicatessen stores (even Cold Storage is not good enough for them) and buy only imported products from countries whereby there are strict and stringent health and food standards. They would not be caught dead shopping in Cold Storage/Carrefour/Tesco/Giant buying local house brand products like us commoners and they certainly would not even be caught dead within 1 kilometer of a Kedai 1 Malaysia outlet.

Secondly, who would believe that the Kedai 1 Malaysia shops can sell products at 30% to 40% lower than market prices with the same quality as other supermarkets and still have sufficient profits to pay kickbacks and commissions to those who brain-child and awarded the Kedai 1 Malaysia to Mydin. If products are sold at 30% to 40% lower, this only means that the said products are of inferior quality and probably not fit for human consumption (which is now proven to be). Case in point is the tainted milk powder being sold at ridiculous low prices in China which led to deaths of infants.

Thirdly, the Kedai 1 Malaysia was another means to perpetuate cronyism. Najib must have a complete portfolio of his "1" thingy ideas so its only natural that the Kedai 1 Malaysia was born. We have 1Tandas so why not 1Kedai? There are still plenty of unfinished "1" thingies ideas to be implemented to feed the hordes of cronies dying to get their hands on one of these "1" thingies.

Malaysians are being hoodwinked daily with all these "1" thingy crap. What I am surprised is why Najib has still not proclaimed himself officially as 1Prime Minister and his wife as 1First Lady and his official residence as 1Seri Perdana. Then his party's name should be changed to 1UMNO but I think Mahathir will object to this 1UMNO name as UMNO (baru) sounds better to him. Then we will have our parliamentarians attending their sitting in 1Parliament. We should also have a 1Deputy Prime Minister but he would probably preferred to be known as 1Malay First instead.

Everyone in 1Malaysia land will be oh so 1HAPPY once all the "1" thingies are implemented.

Mej. A R Ramachandran (Retired) said...

Check out KITA brand rice. Who the owner is???

FreeYellowMan said...

From Douglas Tan's blog,THe Voice of Reason:
Ameer Ali Mydin wrote in his letter, I quote "It baffles me as to whoever gave you the idea that generic products are of lower quality. Please read up the meaning of generic products before you make such assumptions and in this case, allegations."
--------

So here it is, the definition as per WIkipedia:
"Generic term, a common name used for a range or class of similar things not protected by trademark"
--------

And then I can only comment to En. Ameer... WHile you are correct to allude to the definition of "generic" as to define items similar or same as a branded item, you are conveniently forgetting the other side of the coin.

"Branded" items are done to promote the company and it's products and to make the product recognisable to the consumer at a glance. Whether it be in terms of quality, function, etc. The customer knows to trust the brand.

However what the brand does for society as a whole is that it puts a heavy burden on the owner of the brand to stand by their product and to ensure it does no damage to the consumer who buys it.

This is where a "generic" product can fail, and does fail it many many instances. There is no one standing behind the product putting on the line his reputation and name, and survival. The only entities that stand at risk are the retail store (K1M in this case) and the consumer. That is the main reason "generic" products are always suspect and even more so when they are priced below market for no justifiable reason.

It is then the higher responsibility of the regulatory bodies of government, or failing that, civil society to be the watchdog to protect the consumer and more so the vulnerable members of society who are targeted by these types of stores/products.

In this particular case, we have the government on one hand being the hand of K1M stores, and on the other hand supposedly the regulatory body to control and monitor. It's no wonder that this failed in this respect.

It's all a result of people thinking they are smarter than they are, and not understanding the workings of commerce, society, and government, and more importantly the need for separation of these 3 entities so that there are checks and balance.

Kudos for Tony and Nurul for taking the initiative on this. But frankly it is not their job. There should be a Consumer Protection Agency with teeth,and with the freedom to act.

monty said...

Dato,
This Kedai 1 Malaysia launched by our PM is nothing but to benefit this fellow Mydin. The Govt has all along never been honest and sincere in helping the poor rakyat. This project is purely a political one by UMNO/BN Govt.How can Mydin supply substandard or reject food items for the poor rakyat to buy. As proven by the Opposition MPs Tony Pua and Nurul, the Ministry of Health Minister straight-away went into denial mode as usual instead of penalizing the supplier Mydin. To me, knowingly supplying food that endangers health and well-being of its people is a criminal act and a police report should be lodged against the supplier. And again, why must it be monopolize by the Mydin fellow. Why not distribute the food items to other major food outlets? Again to UMNO cronies who continues to fleece and cheat the poor rakyat.

Kamal Sanusi said...

Salam Dato'

"You help me, I'll help you". This might be applied between Mydin & Haji Najib nowadays.

When I say Malaysia is not less than aphartied country, some would shoot me left & right, up & down.

Realize or not, rakyat are receiving substandard food, services and medical and even juridicial treatment (unless you are in Beer-End).

Even our military personnel are receiving substandard foods, equipments etc.. Submarines cannot selam but KD Pari tetiba tenggelam. Just look at the expiry date of rangsum tempur.

Haji Najib should allow others to operate this Kedai 1 Malaysia on franchise basis/concept. Then only all rakyat can benefit not only his cronies.

I'm sure Mydin is receiving something from Hj Najib otherwise they would not be able to sell things below market price. Subsidy maybe....

The time has come for us to show them our power. It is inevitable and avoidable for us to send them to HELL!!!...

Malaysian said...

1. What motivates Mydin owner to run Kedai 1Malaysia? Is profit making the main goal of Mydin owner? In that case, the quality of the food is going to be lower than expected since profit making is Mydin owner's main goal. I doubt Mydin want to serve the people since he's a businessman.
2. Why is Mydin owner being given the responsibility to run Kedai 1Malaysia?
3. Have we not seen the failure of government link company?
4. I am sure Tesco, Giant, Carrefoure, etc can provide low prices food. Why create another GLC?

Malaysian said...

I heard the food in Singapore is cheaper than Malaysia. Why is a city country food prices are lower than Malaysia? Maybe it's because sugar, rice, etc are monopolized by some of UMNO friendly company. Najib should stop preaching about save guarding the Malay rights. UMNO is the organization that abuse the trust of the Malay!

Salam

Malaysian said...

Mr. Kamal

How can we sent them to hell? They managed to provide illegal immigrants citizenship and redraw the electoral constituency that benefit UMNO. Also, the constant demonizing non-Malay and DAP so the Malay will vote for them. I remember watching a Kedai 1Malaysia advertising on youtube which blamed the Chinese for high food cost. I'm doubt we can get rid of UMNO. Is the Malay going to vote along with non-Malay?

Salam

joe choy said...

This idea of Kedai 1 Malaysia was hatched by UMNOputra cronies without any moral obligation to honestly help the poor people of Malaysia. Mydin's products are not up to expectation and some were found to be tainted and not fit for human consumption as revealed by Tony Pua. Claimed to be 30%-40% cheaper than others but what is the use when it is not safe for human consumption. I wonder what is rational in giving it to Mydin only. So, can the people assume that Mydin is one of the favourite cronies of UMNO? Stupid Minister Liow jump to the defence of its products being safe to consume. Well, if that is the case, Mr Liow why not sell some of the products to your colleague Ministers and UMNOputra leaders at the UMNO Convention at PWTC which just ended.You and your Health Officials should have open-up stalls at the PWTC and I will see how many of them will buy the substandard and tainted products.I strongly believe that even if you present it to them FOC, they will throw it away in the longkang or rubbish-bins. I bet, you yourself as the Health Minister would not even touch it nor give it to your family members to consume.

pronto said...

Dato, Do you remebered the melamine case in China. The owner had been sentenced to death and had been executed. Will this happen in Malaysia?
They are feeding the poor citizens with sub-standard food and have long term health hazard. If not for the two MP from opposition the poor citizen will taking in sub-standard and health hazard food.. The worst is Health Minister who tried to defend the owner. It look like every complain from opposition, they always jump to conclusion that it was politically motivated without first checking their facts with their staffs. They are treating Malaysia citizen as third world citizens. Their lives is not worth 2 cents. This is not the first time and how long can we tolerate all this nonsenses. Hope GE13 will solve all this nonsense.

Frankie said...

Dato',

Just read this morning's Sun newspaper (Dec.6th) that no action will be taken against Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia (KR1M) for mislabelling their food items even though it is an offence by law under the Food and Health Act 1985. How much more double standards practice can a government present to the rakyat? Mydin manages not only the KR1M stores but the supplies as well and he gets of scot free just like that.

The message the government has sent out to Malaysians is that it is absolutely all right for its cronies and partners in crime to commit offences but not so for those who are not in cohorts with the government. This is truly 1Malaysia Boleh governance by a truly 1Bodoh government.

I really feel sorry for those who were taken in the by "low" prices of KR1M as they have consumed food items which were mis-represented on the labels.

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear Frankie,

If this were to occur in a western country, the shop owner will be sued. Here, the political masters are the law.

komando said...

Welcome to BOLEH LAND
You do not call it that for no REASON!

FreeYellowMan said...

Makes one wonder if the products in Mydin's stores are also without problems... anyone want to make a guess as to that? Might the manufacturers of some of the products be the same for both store chains?