PUTRAJAYA, March 29 — There are about 400 licensed direct sales companies in Malaysia which are mostly owned by local companies, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.
Speaking at a press conference after presenting the Research, Development, and Commercialisation Grant of Program Khazanah Alam Industri Jualan Langsung and handing over the direct selling licence here today, he said only 18 per cent of the licensed direct sales companies were foreign companies.
Salahuddin said the government is targeting the value of sales generated by direct sales companies to increase to RM30 billion in 2028, while in 2021, the direct sales industry in this country will record an income of more than RM27 billion.
“We are targeting for this industry to grow rapidly and will be one of the biggest contributors to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during that period,” he said.
Salahuddin said the people do not need to worry about using products or goods sold through licensed direct sales companies.
“When the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KDPN) issues a license, it means that customers do not need to worry about quality because there is a representative of the Ministry of Health in the committee which gives approval, while the licensed products have already gone through strict screening by KPDN,” he said.
Regarding the awarding of the grant at today’s ceremony, he said it was aimed at expanding the direct sales business, especially companies that produce and market local products based on natural resources.
In other developments, Salahuddin said a meeting will be held between KPDN and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) this afternoon to thoroughly discuss the issue of chicken prices and the supply of eggs.
He said the meeting will be held because the supply chain at the ‘upstream’ level was checked by MAFS while at the ‘downstream’ level by KPDN for the determination and control of prices in addition to the availability of chicken and egg supplies in the market.
According to him, KPDN last week received information from the Veterinary Department that the supply of chicken and eggs was stable and sufficient until the Hari Raya celebrations.
