Implementation of the new "Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia" or 1Malaysia People's Shop ((KR1M) 2.0, scheduled to be launched in the middle of the month, will open more opportunities for the people to venture into business.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said through the new concept, KR1M 2.0 would no longer be carried out on a franchise base, but open to all parties keen to open their own business outlet.

He said the move was aimed at eliminating the role of middlemen in the supply chain of essential items as KR1M 2.0 operators would receive the supplies direct from suppliers under the ministry.

"Even the village folks can open the KR1M 2.0 outlets, which means the outlets are theirs. We only assist in terms of supplying the essential items such as cooking oil, rice, sugar and flour, which will be at cheaper prices.

"This concept not only provides the opportunity for everybody to do business, but it also for consumers to buy goods at low price, with the operators getting their supply also at low price," he told reporters here Thursday.

He was met after visiting the Etika Dairies Sdn Bhd factory at Meru Industrial Park, here.

According to Hamzah, the ministry had so far received 200 applications to open KR1M 2.0 and expected the number to increase to 500 next year.

During the visit, Hamzah presented more than 800 cartons of dairy milk to 25 school cooperatives, as part of a collaboration between the ministry, through Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (Angkasa), and private companies to supply goods for sale in school cooperatives.

-- BERNAMA