Sabah: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has expanded its collaboration with the retail sector under its digitalisation and price transparency initiative, with two retail chains in Sabah joining the effort today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, KPDN's Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bataras Supermarket Sdn Bhd and CKS Retail Sdn Bhd. This agreement aims to implement a voluntary price information sharing initiative through the PriceCatcher application. The collaboration is part of KPDN's ongoing strategy to broaden its network of strategic retail partners under the digitalisation and price transparency initiative. The goal is to enhance consumers' access to market prices, enabling informed spending decisions.
Armizan highlighted that the automated price-sharing initiative began last year with the involvement of MYDIN and Redtick, and it has now been extended to Sabah. The PriceCatcher application currently displays prices for 316 essential goods, updated on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, spanning categories such as fresh produce, dry and packaged goods, dairy and baby products, hygiene products, and beverages. As of October 31, 2025, the app has seen over 590,000 downloads, with an average of 10,000 active users weekly across the nation.
Previously, price data on the PriceCatcher app was manually collected by Price Monitoring Officers (PPH) in the field, which limited the data's scope in terms of area and number of premises. With the new MoU, retail partners are now voluntarily providing automated price data directly into the PriceCatcher system, broadening data coverage and allowing consumers in Sabah to access real-time price information.
Armizan also stated that KPDN would continue to encourage more supermarkets and retail outlets to join the initiative, supporting its digitalisation and price transparency agenda for the benefit of consumers. Additionally, he urged recipients of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) to utilize the Perlindungan Tenang Voucher (PTV) 3.0 initiative, which seeks to fortify the social protection network for low-income groups.
PTV 3.0, which started on September 1, 2025, offers RM30 vouchers to two million STR recipients to buy basic insurance and takaful products from approved providers. STR recipients can register and redeem their vouchers through the MyCoverage portal until December 31, 2025, or until all vouchers are claimed.
In alignment with the government's promise to alleviate living costs, KPDN, in partnership with the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA), organized the Takaful Series Programme in Papar, Sabah, today. This initiative aims to extend its reach, enhance public understanding, and promote the uptake of basic insurance and affordable takaful products. Armizan noted that the program focuses on the redemption of PTV 3.0 vouchers by STR recipients, with 18,826 recipients having redeemed their vouchers and purchased basic takaful and insurance products through selected companies under the initiative.