KUALA LUMPUR – Former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (Sembrong-BN) has scoffed at Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli’s suggestion for consumers to avoid eateries that do not lower their prices despite flattening inflation rates.
Hishammuddin quipped that the government is able to do more than provide a suboptimal solution to improve the people’s cost of living.
“Bettering cost of living is closely related to grassroots implementation and enforcement, not just simply advising on boycotting shops and goods.”
“I’m sure the government is more capable than that,” he said during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat this evening.
Hishammuddin highlighted the issue of rising costs of living as important and of concern to the nation.
He lamented that increasing costs of basic necessities are impacting the people’s pockets.
Despite the problem of the high cost of living being a global phenomenon and not limited to Malaysia, he urged the government to still play a role in mitigating it.
He added that while the inflation rate had reduced to 3.8% in December from 4% a month prior, the reduction is meaningless if the people do not feel the benefits at the grassroots level.
While the cost of living is affecting the B40 group, he hoped that the government would focus on the M40, as well as the youth in the revised Budget 2023 to be tabled on February 24..
He explained that supporting the youth is not limited to setting reasonable prices, but also tackling different aspects of the changing work landscape.
“The youth hope for more than just reasonable prices, another worry is work opportunities,” he said.
“I read youths’ opinions and worries about aspects of future work landscapes, including green technology, climate change, and artificial intelligence.
“The faster these grow, then the job landscape will change,” he added. – The Vibes, February 20, 2023
