Cigarettes at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia

They shouldn't sell cigarettes at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) urges a reader in his letter to the NST. His suggestion is valid considering cigarettes are not necessities and the price has always been increasing with almost every budget proposal tabled in parliament. KR1M was set up to help everyone keep a lid on their expenses and cigarettes has never been included in the basker of basic goods for any household. It is an anomaly to have cigarettes on the shelves of a KR1M.

KR1M was set up due to to the Prime Minister's concern over the increasing cost of living affecting the low income rakyat living in the urban areas. Based on a mini market format, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia provides various basic necessities at low prices in convenient urban locations. The key word here is basic necessities.

Are cigarettes a necessity? Yes, to those who want it and they can find it quite conveniently elsewhere even at that hole in the wall shops that share precious little pedestrian space along the roads in Kuala Lumpur. Would selling cigarettes bring a profit to KR1M? That is a given as it is a highly sought after product. Those who crave for it are willing to pay and seem to know how to manipulate their budget whenever there is a price increase in order to continue smoking the cigarettes.

Discontinuing selling cigarettes at KR1M will reduce the profits at the end of the day but at least the stores are making a statement that their products remain in the basic needs category.

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