Rahmah MADANI Back-to-school Sale A Boon For M'sians As They Prepare For New School Term

By Mohamad Syazwan Mustafa

KULAI, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The RAHMAH MADANI Back-to-School sale programme has helped many Malaysians in their preparation for the upcoming school term, as parents buy school supplies and other related products at affordable prices.

Nur Dahlia Safwan, 30, who visited the sale held at IOI Mall today looking for a schoolbag for her niece, shared how she much she longed to own such a schoolbag during her schooling days, but could not as her family did not have the financial means.

“When I was young, it was very hard to buy a schoolbag of real quality as it was expensive and beyond the means of my family,” she told Bernama when met at the sale, adding that such memories had spurred her to ensure her niece, who would be entering Year One, would be able to enjoy the comforts her aunt lacked as a child.

“I came here because I saw a social media post by TenTen (supermarket) about the sale thinking I would just take a look. When I remembered my niece, I immediately bought some school supplies that I wish I had but couldn’t afford as a child,” she said, adding that the programme directly benefitted the public by making school supplies available at affordable prices.

Meanwhile, Royal Malaysian Navy retiree, Zainal Abd Rahman, 76, said initiatives such as the RAHMAH MADANI sale and MySARA reflected the government’s concern in helping to reduce the costs of living for Malaysians, and discounts of up to 30 per cent not only allowed for great savings, but helped retirees manage their daily expenses in an orderly fashion.

Private sector employee, Nathan Silvaraj, 38, said the sale also assured the public that the supply of necessities in the market was stable, as did the government’s move to announce the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) earlier.

“I am not worried about buying fresh produce at the last minute because I know the government will ensure adequate supply for us at affordable prices. We rarely hear about lack of necessities now, for me that’s a real positive development,” he said.

The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry’s (KPDN) Johor director, Lilis Saslinda Pornomo announced yesterday that 1,783 RAHMAH MADANI sales have been held in Johor from January to December this year, and recorded sales of RM65.7 million and directly benefitted over 1.96 million households in the state.

-- BERNAMA