GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO STABILISE PRICES IS WELCOMED BUT DEPENDENCE ON IMPORT FROM OVERSEAS MUST BE REDUCED
We welcome the action taken by the government to stabilise the price of goods as was decided during the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) meeting on 31st January 2022.
CAP was present during the mentioned meeting that was chaired by the Prime Minister, and we were given the opportunity to put forth our opinions during the meeting.
We welcome the government’s decision to set the ceiling price of chicken at RM8.90 even though the government will have to provide subsidies to cover the cost for consumers.
We have a positive opinion on the government’s decision to maintain the price of Grade A, B and C eggs according to the current Malaysian Family Maximum Price Scheme.
We believe the government should be monitoring, as well as receiving complaints from consumers if it is found that a trader is raising their prices. On the other hand consumers must use the correct channel if they want to reveal that there is a trader trying to profit.
We support the assertiveness and the intervention by the government even though poultry farmers requested that the price of chicken at the farm be increased; something that certainly influenced the market price of chicken to exceed RM10.00 per kilogram.
We believe that the government needs to seriously look into producing livestock within the country to avoid the issue of importing from overseas animal-based food that is expensive.
We also believe that allowing Hypermarkets to import whole chickens from overseas with compliance requirements especially focusing on halal status, freshness as well as cleanliness, is only a short-term measure. The best approach would be to strengthen local production sustainably.
We agree with the government directing the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC), an agency under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), to conduct continuous study and investigation to ensure that there are no price cartels as well as manipulation by middleman in the chicken (production and supply) industry.
To hasten the research related to chicken feed alternatives to ensure that the country is not threatened by the price of corn, soya beans and medicine which currently are 100% imported from overseas.
We recommend that the government re-evaluate land use, with emphasis given to the issue of basic food production. Dependence on food imports must be addressed immediately.