Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said KUSKOP is targeting at least 10 Jualan MADANI programmes in Penang this year, with seven already held across the state.

For households feeling the pressure of everyday expenses, the appeal is obvious. 

Jualan MADANI KUSKOP gives people access to cheaper groceries and daily necessities while creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs and bringing government services closer to communities.

It is practical, immediate relief.

But Penang can use the programme to build something more ambitious. An affordability strategy that becomes part of how the state grows.

From cheaper groceries to stronger supply

A discounted basket of groceries helps a household immediately. Long-term affordability depends on everything that happens before those groceries reach the shelf.

Production, distribution, transportation and the strength of local suppliers all affect the final price.

Penang already has part of the foundation.

In July, the state approved RM500 in one-off aid for 6,572 eligible padi and vegetable farmers, costing about RM3.286 million. 

The assistance gives direct support to local food producers while helping sustain Penang's agricultural sector. That can complement KUSKOP's consumer-focused approach.

One puts savings directly in consumers' hands. The other supports people producing food locally.

Penang should connect these efforts more deliberately, building stronger links between local producers, businesses and consumers.

Penang can learn from other states

Penang does not have to build its affordability strategy from scratch.

Other states have taken more structural approaches to specific household costs. Selangor, for example, operates Rumah Selangorku, a state-backed affordable housing scheme with controlled-price housing projects and eligibility criteria designed to help Malaysians who do not already own a home in Selangor.

Housing is only one part of the cost-of-living equation, but the lesson is important. Affordability policy can be built into the systems that shape household expenses.

Penang can apply the same thinking to its own strengths.

The state has agriculture, fisheries, food businesses, cooperatives, SMEs and a major manufacturing base. Bringing these parts of the economy into a more connected affordability strategy would give the state a stronger way to tackle costs beyond temporary discounts.

Stronger links between producers and consumers can improve local supply chains. Better support for local businesses can help them scale and more resilient local food production can strengthen supply.

These are longer-term measures that can sit alongside immediate assistance such as Jualan MADANI.

Make growth work for households

Penang has spent decades building its reputation as one of Malaysia's economic powerhouses, particularly through manufacturing, electronics and services.

The next stage of that success should be measured by more than investment figures and economic output.

People should be able to feel the benefits in their everyday lives.

That means connecting Penang's economic strengths with policies that make housing, food and essential services more manageable for the people who live and work here.

Jualan MADANI KUSKOP is a useful starting point because it reaches people at the most immediate level, the cost of daily necessities.

The state can build on that by strengthening the systems behind those prices.

Penang can set the example

Jualan MADANI KUSKOP is already being implemented beyond Penang, including in Johor and Melaka. KUSKOP's wider 2026 programme has also brought the initiative to communities in other states.

Penang therefore does not need to be the first to make the programme work. It can be the state that shows what comes next.

Steven Sim's push for more Jualan MADANI programmes gives Penang a useful opportunity to combine immediate consumer relief with longer-term support for local producers, businesses and supply chains.

Other states already have individual pieces of this approach. Penang has the economic strength and local industries to bring more of them together.

If it succeeds, the result will be bigger than cheaper groceries at occasional sales.

It will show that a state can pursue economic growth while deliberately making everyday life more affordable for its residents.

Penang has already built an economy that attracts investment. The next achievement should be building one that makes prosperity easier to feel at home.