Pelaksanaan Garis Panduan KPDNKK Dalam Konteks Pembukaan Perniagaan Pasaraya di Malaysia: Implikasi Terhadap Peniagaan Runcit di Malaysia

Abstract

This paper examines the capability of the Guidelines on Foreign Participation in the Distributive Trade Services Malaysia, 2004 introduced by the Ministry of Domestic Trade Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) to enforce the growth of foreign hypermarkets. The research finds that the MDTCC has failed to effectively enforce the Guidelines. However, the ineffectiveness of the MDTCC could be linked to the government economic transformation programme where large scale foreign retail investments are openly welcomed to help boost the country's domestic economic growth. Therefore it is not surprising to find MDTCC consciously ignoring certain misregulations by foreign hypermarkets. Concerning the allegation that hypermarkets are killing small retailers, findings of this research show there is a negative relationship between hypermarkets (foreign and local) as well as a positive relationship between hypermarkets (foreign and local) with small-scale retailers. For example, the clustering of too many hypermarkets in a town center has increased competition forcing in particular the less competitive hypermarkets to leave the Malaysian retail market. There are also some small-retailers relying on hypermarkets for supply of certain goods, like dairy products and stationery. Geographical, socio-economical and political factors have indirectly influenced the behaviour of consumer shoppers and the behaviour of small-scale retailers towards hypermarkets. The research concludes that the presence of hypermarkets could boost the economic growth of the local market in the town or city centre. This discovery however does not imply denying the importance of the small-scale retailers. The research shows that small-scale retailers should also be given fair share in the retail market because they are still considered relevant by the local community.