Mindef Launches ‘HITS’ Initiative To Lower Living Costs For Military Personnel

MELAKA, Oct 15 – The Defence Ministry today unveiled the ‘Harga Istimewa, Tentera Sejahtera’ (HITS) scheme, providing discounts on 308 essential household goods.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that the items, discounted by up to 30 per cent, are available across 80 Perbadanan Perwira Niaga Malaysia (Pernama) retail outlets nationwide exclusively for serving armed forces personnel and veterans.

“We have previously implemented numerous initiatives to improve their well-being in areas such as housing, welfare, healthcare, education, skills development and the economy. Today, we are completing these efforts by addressing the cost of buying daily household necessities,” Khaled told reporters following the official launch at the Terendak Camp Pernama outlet.

He noted that Pernama will play a central role by offering daily necessities at prices below standard market rates.

Present at the launch event were Army Chief General Tan Sri Azhan Md Othman, Defence Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali, and Melaka Senior Executive Councillor for Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management Datuk Rais Yasin.

Khaled stressed that Pernama should funnel its commercial returns back to service members by lowering shelf prices across its store network.

“With the substantial profits Pernama makes, we believe these can be returned to the personnel. It is like a cooperative that generates profits and eventually gives back to its members. However, for this to happen, military personnel must support Pernama. The higher its sales, the greater the benefits that can be returned to the personnel,” he added.

–NMT