GEORGE TOWN – Enough political tussling, said former finance minister and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng. He called on Pakatan Harapan (PH) politicians to focus instead on people-centric issues such as the hike in prices for daily goods due to supply chain disruptions.
His comments come after both PH and Perikatan Nasional (PN) politicians accused Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, who wore a headscarf to a mosque last week, of trying to gain political mileage.
He said that the dire issue of price hikes must be tackled immediately and suggested that the federal government allocate RM3 billion to act as a stabilising fund until the prices of goods return to normal.
He added that imposing price controls is only a superficial measure that does not solve the root problem.
“Imposing price control is easy, but if you are not careful, it may result in shortages.
“If you force the price of goods to go down too low, the traders don’t want to sell. In the end, there will be nothing to buy. It will cause a bigger problem,” he said during a press conference at the Penang DAP headquarters here today.
Lim advised the federal government to work smarter, suggesting that incentives and monetary aid can be disbursed to farmers and help reduce transportation costs that have increased significantly.
During his recent visit to his constituency, many people complained to him about price hikes, with one elderly lady noting that one kg of chilli costs more than RM20 now – more expensive than poultry.
Lim also said that people are awaiting the decision Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi will make come December 9 as he had initially said that the issue will be resolved by this date.
“We will see if the price goes down with enough supply. Or will the price go down without supply?” he said.
However, Nanta said in Parliament last week that his ministry may not be able to resolve the pricing issue regarding daily goods by December 9, describing it as “very complex”. – The Vibes, December 6, 2021.
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