MADANI Mart Not A Rebranding Of KR1M, Does Not Involve Govt Funding - Yayasan MADANI

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- The MADANI Mart, launched last Friday, is not a rebranding of Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) and does not involve any provision of start-up capital or operational costs from the government.

Yayasan MADANI (MADANI Mart operations) manager Lutfi Mohd Ariffin said that MADANI Mart is fully driven by entrepreneur participation based on market mechanisms and private ownership.

“MADANI Mart is a business model based on a public-private-social partnership (PPSP). It operates through a licensing model, with Yayasan MADANI acting as the licensor for the branding, concept and business model registered under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), without involving any capital outlay by the foundation.

“Each outlet is fully owned and operated by entrepreneurs under their respective business entities. This structure ensures that every MADANI Mart is owned by local entrepreneurs, not by the government or the foundation,” he said in a statement today.

In this regard, he described claims that MADANI Mart is funded by the government, owned by certain parties, or has hidden interests as baseless and not supported by the actual implementation facts.

Lutfi said MADANI Mart is operated under professional management, with the Yayasan MADANI Board of Trustees ensuring the organisation’s direction, integrity and compliance.

“Board members act as trustees and have no personal interest in MADANI Mart’s business operations. Yayasan MADANI only holds the rights to the branding, copyright, concept and business model, while ownership of the outlets rests entirely with the entrepreneurs. This structure ensures there is no conflict of interest,” he said.

He said MADANI Mart also operates in an open competitive environment without any monopoly in the appointment of suppliers or operators, with selection based on commercial capability, operational efficiency, and an effective and efficient supply chain.

At the same time, Lutfi said MADANI Mart is reviewing applications from existing retail businesses to be upgraded and to join the network through an onboarding process, with participation open to individuals, business partnerships and community entities such as cooperatives.

“Yayasan MADANI welcomes the participation of more local entrepreneurs as licence holders and business owners, in line with efforts to empower the people’s economy and expand access to essential goods at affordable prices,” he said.

On April 3, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officiated the launch of the country’s first MADANI Mart outlet at Indera Mahkota 8 (IM8), Pahang, under a government initiative to ease the cost of living.

MADANI Mart aims to open at least 640 outlets nationwide, with the goal of ensuring that each state constituency has at least one outlet.

-- BERNAMA