The Perak Consumers Association (PCA) has stuck the label of tootless tiger on the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry  for its inability to control the prices of essential goods in the country.

PCA president Abdul Rahman Said Alli told Malaysiakini yesterday that the ministry is powerless in managing pricing as local businesses were in total control.

"The business sector calls the shots in the pricing of consumer goods, and the ministry bows to their demands," he said.

"The prices of essential food items are sky-rocketing, but the ministry is helpless to stop this. And yet they pretend that they are in charge of the situation by making public announcements," said Rahman.

He added that is apparent that the ministry is unable to enforce price control regulations governing goods, appearing to be trapped between ensuring domestic trade growth and protecting consumer interests.

NONE Rahman's ( right ) solution to this situation is the setting up of separate ministries to do away with the tug-of-war between the two conflicting responsibilities and the time to do is now.

‘Lame excuses'

He commented on how essential food items such as garlic and chicken meat have seen steep rises in their retail price.

The price of garlic has shot up to RM10 per kilo, due to limited supply caused by the floods in China.

China is the world's top producer of garlic - accounting for about 77 percent of global production - and Malaysia's sole supplier.

Other garlic exporters include India, South Korea, Egypt, Russia, United States, Spain, Argentina, Myanmar and Ukraine.

Rahman does not believe that the floods in China are responsible for the present price hike of the commodity, putting the blame instead on profiteers who had exploited the news of the event.

NONE "The traders would normally hold three to six months of stock, so why the sudden jump in the price of garlic," he asked.

"Why solely depend on China, when Malaysia can import from other garlic producing countries at a cheaper rate?"he asked.

As for the price of chicken that has shot up to nearly RM6.80 a kilo, Rahman dismisses the traders' "lame excuses" saying that prices were driven by demand and supply.

When a major festival comes around, the chicken price automatically soars while the ministry stands by helplessly, he says.

In the absence of ministry intervention, Rahman suggeststhat consumers strike back by boycotting unreasonably priced goods.