Warisan Negara ecosystem to strengthen small businesses

Small traders in Malaysia are being offered a way to reduce operating pressure by joining a new business network designed to secure supplies at more competitive prices.

The Warisan Negara Ecosystem project, led by former Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim, was launched with an initial focus on local grocery stores in rural areas of Melaka. It will provide assistance with supply coordination, stock management and operational support, while encouraging retailers to work through a more organized network.

Azmi said efforts to address the cost of living should not depend solely on government aid or subsidies. Private-sector groups, organizations and business communities also need to play an active role, particularly as global market conditions continue to affect the prices of goods and supplies.

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We are responsible for working together with other organizations and the private sector to play a more active role alongside the government in addressing the cost of living.

He said uncertainty in global fuel markets could raise transport and supply costs, increasing prices for essential goods and adding to household expenses. By strengthening links among small businesses, the initiative aims to help stabilize everyday prices for consumers as well as improve the position of traders.

The project is intended to expand gradually into other sectors connected directly to people’s lives, including medicine and education. Azmi said the initiative had received support from Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh and invited local traders and the public to follow its progress.

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The solution cannot depend solely on government subsidies, especially when the cost of goods and supplies continues to change because of global market factors.