600 RETAIL SHOPS TO BE MODERNISED THIS YEAR

IPOH (Perak, Malaysia), April 9 (Bernama) -- Up to 600 retail shops
throughout the country will be modernised under the Retail Shop Transformation
(Tukar) Programme as part of a government measure to help retailers face up to
stiffer competition in the business, Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and
Consumerism Minister Tan Lian Hoe said Saturday.

"These retailers will be assisted free of charge by consultants
collaborating with the government, namely hypermarkets Tesco, Carrefour, Mydin,
AEON Co (M) Bhd, Giant and Econsave," she told reporters after a dialogue with
the Perak Retailers Association, here.

Tan said more than 900 retailers nationwide had applied to participate in
the Tukar programme, which had received a RM30 million (US$30 million)
allocation from the government.

The retailers in the programme would be provided with a loan of between
RM20,000 and RM60,000 (US$6,666 and US$20,000) from Bank Rakyat to modernise
their outlets.

"So far, 24 retail shops in the country have been modernised and have
registered an increased income, from RM1,700 (US$566.66) to between
RM2,500(US$833.33) and RM4,000 (US$1,333) a month," she said.