DAP’s national publicity chief Tony Pua has challenged the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to a debate on the Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M).

NONE Pua, who is Petaling Jaya Utara Member of Parliament, expressed willingness to take part in in a televised debate over the KR1M issue on condition that Ismail Sabri accept the challenge to face off against him.

“Will he?” Pua asked on his Facebook page this morning.

KR1M, launched in June by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, has been touted to be part of the government’s efforts to help Malaysians cope with rising costs of living by offering consumers basic necessities at affordable prices.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs, however, have accused the KR1M scheme of selling poor quality products that cost higher than the prices advertised by its proponents.

The government, on its part, has accused Pua of misleading the public over the matter.

NONE Ismail Sabri had said that from the beginning, the prices of KR1M products had been fixed to between 30 and 50 percent lower than their branded counterparts but not products sold under house brands like in Carrefour and other hypermarkets.

It is unfair to compare products when these differ in terms of content (weight and volume), nutritional information and the extent of promotions that had been held.

Internet TV portal Malaysian Observer.TV ( mobTV ) is said to have offered to organise the debate between Pua and Ismail Sabri on Nov 17 at 3pm at its studio in Desa Sri Hartamas.

It is unclear as of press time whether the minister has accepted the invitation.

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