YOURSAY ‘A market economy means letting the water find its own level. Any interference will only make the economy more inefficient.'

Mini-mart chain 'killing our livelihood', claim retailers

FairGame: To stay competitive, one needs to be innovative and progress with the times. Forever asking for subsidies and funds from the government will not make you competitive. Learn to walk without these crutches, and you will be strong to meet any challenges that lie ahead.

Blaming others for your own failure is the worst thing to do. Perhaps the Malaysian Muslim Wholesalers and Retailers Association (Mawar) could arrange for these traders to jointly buy in bulk to enjoy the bulk discount? Be innovative, not vindictive.

Onyourtoes: Malaysia still has some remnants of a market economy, so please, we must all fight to keep it going. A market economy means letting the water find its own level. Any interference, whether it is from Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M), Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad or the Domestic Trade Ministry will only make the economy more inefficient.

Just allow anyone who wishes to operate a hypermarket or mini-market to do so without hindrance and prohibition. If they can't survive or make money, they can always exit the market, but the authorities must not prevent others from entering the market if they wish to do so.

To assume that KR1M will sell its goods at lower price is to assume that they are more efficient or are willing to make lower profits when compared with other hypermarkets. May be, may be not. But right now all I see is the government's grants and subsidies for KR1M that is doing the trick. This is Economics 101, which I find most Malaysian policy makers and bureaucrats most lacking.

Borg Kinaulu: The solution is obvious. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should make KR1M into a nationwide franchise open to all self-professed patriotic Muslim/Malay retailers who wish to take advantage of the economic of scale such a business model will allow.

It's a win-win-win for Najib's 1Malaysia logo, for the retailers from economics of scale, and for consumers to have access to truly Islamic retail outlets that offer cheap 1Malaysia prices that greedy businessmen, especially Chinese, will never be able to beat. If Utopia is possible, Malaysia definitely boleh (can).

Yellow Bird: there is a sundry shop that does roaring business in Sungai Way, despite being in close proximity to hypermarkets, and the stuff there is really much cheaper than at hypermarkets. Do go and ask why!

Citi: If you are a savvy business person, you should find a comfortable spot in any supply chain, failing which you should consider other activities. As proven, government protection is simply not the long term solution. Simply compare our neighbour, Thailand - they are inching forward and Malaysia is sliding backward.

NewMalaysia: What about Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia? I thought they claim to be selling at the cheapest prices in the market? Aren't KR1M affecting them as well? Why no protest over at KR1M? Is this selective protest?

Vijay47: This is essentially an economics and survival issue and I hope that race does not play a part in the Shah Alam demonstration. When the little man with a little stall meets the Giant with a huge store, the little guy will invariably lose.

Let those who know best meet and find ways to give a hand to these 'mum & pop' shops. Let all those affected get some assistance and please, like I said, leave race out of it.

SelangorKu: I find this interesting. Mawar as an association can buy the products in bulk and sell to its members. I know of non-Mawar small-time single operators doing very well. They do well because they pay suppliers promptly, manage their stock control well and the cash received from customers is NOT used to buy new cars, new furniture and splash on new wives.

Business is the survival of the fittest. Shops like 7-Eleven and even Giant and Tesco sell things at higher prices than small retailers. They promote 100 items cheap but the other 30,000 items are sold at normal or higher prices. This is hypermarket shopping strategy.

Protectionist policies do not work any where in the world. South Korea and Malaysia started their car industries at about the same time and today Kia and Hyundai are world brands. Mawar, please grow up, the world out there does not owe you a living. Remember you grow by making yourself strong, but not by making others weaker than you.

Bye bye: Laggards will always be left behind. it's the same with the nation under the rule of an unwise administration.

Sad Malaysian: If someone is working hard to achieve their goal, you should work even harder. Stop complaining. The one who gave the best effort wins.

Senior: Time changes, business strategies change, business concepts also change. That's progress, so keep up with the times.

Jean Pierre: Cooperative stores. They used to be more than a concept.

Doc: At the end of the day if the hypermarkets provide daily household goods at cheaper prices, why is it so wrong?

Shrek: You businessmen want us to buy goods at higher price? For the same items? Think again! Will you personally do that? I will head to places offering good prices, of course.

C: Democracy = free market. Go back to school.

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