GEORGE TOWN: To ease the high cost of living, the state Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry will organise Rahmah Ramadan bazaars in two locations in the state.
Its state director, S. Jegan, said Rahmah Ramadan bazaars would be held at Jalan Mahkamah, Bayan Lepas, on March 15 and March 27, and Ban Busuk in Kumbang Semang on March 22 and March 29.
There are 80 locations statewide with Ramadan bazaars.
"Besides that, the state ministry, together with Pertubuhan Pemuda GEMA Malaysia, will organise the Malaysia Save Food Ramadan 2024 project (MYSaveFood@Ramadan 2024) to ease the high cost of living faced by the people.
"This project is aimed at cultivating an effective food surplus management system in Ramadan bazaars that is easy to replicate in efforts to reduce food waste.
"Excess food and drinks will be channeled and distributed to students from higher learning institutions," he said today.
Meanwhile, Jegan said monitoring and enforcement in Ramadan bazaars would be carried out by the ministry statewide from today to ensure sufficient supply of basic household goods, as well as to overcome the high cost of living issue.
Besides the bazaars, he said, checks would also be conducted at Aidilfitri bazaars, morning and night markets, hypermarkets, supermarkets, minimarkets, sundry shops and online platforms.
"Our (state ministry) focus will be on the prices and supplies of goods that are mainly used by the people during Ramadan and Aidilfitri, such as sugar, chicken, eggs, cooking oil, wheat flour, rice, wet goods and items to make confectionery.
"We will ensure that there is no unreasonable increase in the prices of goods.
"We will conduct checks at premises offering cheap sales so that traders abide by the law," he added.
Jegan reminded traders to put up clear price tags and not arbitrarily raise the prices of goods and use inaccurate weighing devices.
Malaysians began fasting today.