TAWAU: A total of 20 traders and 1,000 visitors at a Ramadan bazaar here have benefited from an e-wallet credit initiative implemented by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Tawau branch.
Assistant Community Services, Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister, Rina Jainal, said the programme aims to stimulate economic activity during Ramadan while providing support to small and medium-sized traders.
She said the initiative was introduced following feedback from traders who reported that although the Ramadan bazaar attracted many visitors, actual purchasing activity remained relatively low.
“We hope that initiatives like this can encourage visitors to make purchases, thereby helping local traders increase their sales,” she said.
Under the programme, 1,000 selected visitors received RM20 in Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit to spend on various food items at the bazaar. Meanwhile, 20 traders were given RM100 in e-wallet credit to support their businesses during the Ramadan period.
Rina said this during a walkabout at the Sabindo Ramadan Bazaar on Saturday, held in conjunction with the Rahmah Ramadan Bazaar programme and the 2026 Ihsan Food Bank initiative organised by the Tawau branch of the ministry.
Meanwhile, Tawau KPDN chief Mohammad Roli Aliman said the MySaveFood programme is also being carried out to collect surplus food that remains safe for consumption from bazaar traders.
He said the effort involves volunteers from Tawau Community College as strategic partners to collect and distribute the food to the underprivileged and those in need.
On trader compliance, Mohammad Roli noted that most bazaar traders understand their responsibilities, including displaying clear price tags on all items sold.
He added that KPDN enforcement teams are conducting daily monitoring under Ops Pantau throughout Ramadan, from Feb 19 to March 20, to ensure traders comply with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act and use verified weighing instruments.
“So far, no cases of non-compliance have been recorded, indicating a positive level of awareness and adherence among traders in this district,” he said.
