Inflation - that's one issue the government is worried about as the general election draws near.

Expecting the opposition to harp on it in their election campaign, two Umno bigwigs are roping in their traditional supporters - the mainstream media - to paint a clearer picture of the issue to the public.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shafie Apdal held back-to-back meetings with senior editors from the print and electronic media this week to discuss the matter..

Najib met up with the editors-in-chief of newspapers and TV stations at his official residence on Wednesday while Shafie held his meeting with the media in a Kuala Lumpur hotel yesterday.

According to sources, Najib revealed that the government will set a 'media policy group' to keep an eye on the media coverage of inflation issues and to 'prevent' news which are considered to be at odds with the government's views.

The deputy premier said the group, to be formed by senior editors from the print and electronic media, is also to provide public feedback to the government on inflation-related matters.

It is learnt that the ministers have expressed their concern with many news reports deemed to have portrayed a negative image of the government in its handling of the price hikes and shortage of essential commodities.

Policy decisions on the issue will be conveyed to members of the group in order to avoid negative coverage of the issue in future.

However, it is not known whether the media policy group is a permanent feature or whether it will be ‘attached' to any ministry.

'Don't over-react'

Meanwhile, Shafie told editors to cooperate with the government when covering inflation-related news and not to 'over-react'.

He assured the media that the ministry has already resolved all the problems regarding prices of goods as well as the shortages of cooking oil and flour which occurred earlier this month.

He stressed that the government has been working very hard not to cause undue suffering to the people and is not ‘cold-blooded’ as alleged by the opposition.

However, he did not deny that the prices of essential commodities will rise again in the future but assured that the government will try its best to stable the prices and ensure sufficient supply.

In the bid to overcome the issue, Najib announced on Wednesday that the government would set up a national food stockpile to stabilise prices.

As well as the stockpile of essential goods, which will include rice and cooking oil, the government is to set up a National Price Council to prevent irregularities like hoarding and panic-buying.

Rising prices and shortages of staples have become a big issue in Malaysia, and a concern for the government as it prepares to call elections expected to be held in March.

Earlier this month, shortages of flour and oil caused supermarket shelves to be stripped, and restaurants to warn that some popular dishes would soon be off the menu.