Batu kawan: The government is focusing on empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and local traders to ensure they become significant contributors to national economic growth, stated Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali. Emphasizing the importance of this move, he highlighted the existing gap between the country's economic growth and the realities at the grassroots level. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Armizan pointed out that Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) has shown a steady increase with 3.7% growth in 2023, 5.1% in 2024, and 5.2% in 2025 under the MADANI government. By the second quarter of 2026, growth had reached 6%. Despite these figures, a perceived disconnect remains between national economic progress and local conditions. Armizan stressed the necessity of empowering people-focused agendas, including MSMEs and traders across various sectors, to bridge this gap. Armizan attributed the consistent economic growth to robust domestic demand and sus tained household spending. He underscored the government's goal of integrating local products into the growth framework, aiming to boost confidence in Malaysian brands and expand their market reach beyond domestic borders to regional and global markets. He elaborated on the government's agenda to promote the use and purchase of local products, elevating it to a national priority. This initiative is being implemented more systematically through a whole-of-nation approach, involving ministries, government agencies, industry players, entrepreneurs, retailers, digital platforms, the media, and the public. Armizan announced that the Cabinet had agreed on July 15 to establish a Cabinet Committee on Empowering the Use and Purchase of Local Products. Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry serving as its secretariat, the committee is set to hold its first meeting soon. It will address challenges faced by MSMEs, including the influx of goods sold through online platforms. Furthermore, Armizan highlighted the Jom Malaysia initiative as a strategic transformation of the longstanding Buy Malaysian Goods Campaign (KBBM), which has been running since 1984. Describing the festival as a tool for fostering economic patriotism and building confidence in Malaysian products, he clarified that it is not a one-off program. The four-day Jom Malaysia Festival Penang, which commenced on September 17 and concludes tomorrow, marks the third and final edition for the year. The event features the RAHMAH MADANI sales program, local product booths, government agency exhibitions, and the 2026 Consumer Festival (CONFEST).