KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) presidential council slammed the government over the impending increase in the price of basic goods, demanding that it announce a contingency plan to address the costs of living within 24 hours.
A statement issued by the four PH party heads expressed their worries about the potential effects on people’s livelihoods from the cooking palm oil subsidy abolishment, compounded with the removal of poultry ceiling prices.
PH also said it will consider taking other actions such as mobilising civil society groups and other interested parties to help members of the public air their grievances.
“Until now, the government has yet to announce any form of mechanism, funds, or timeline needed to implement their targeted subsidies, even though there is just less than a week until the subsidy and ceiling prices are gone.
“This is neither a proactive nor responsible move by the government. Hence, the government must announce in full their plan to handle these issues of subsidies and costs of living within 24 hours,” said the statement.
The council noted that they had vented their grievances in Parliament on the rising cost of living many times since last year, and called for the National Action Council on Cost of Living to meet and form solutions, as the people have less than a week to prepare for the price hikes.
“If they fail, all the ministers involved in the issue of cost of living must also resign from their positions,” it added.
The statement was endorsed by PKR president and opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, and Upko president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.
Yesterday, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi announced the removal of all subsidies on bottled cooking palm oil products effective July 1, with prices expected to increase.
This is paired with the government’s earlier decision to remove ceiling prices imposed on poultry products, with Nanta saying he expects the price of chicken to hover slightly above RM10 per kg compared to the current maximum of RM9.90 for Super Round Chicken in Peninsular Malaysia. – The Vibes, June 22, 2022
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