Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has refuted claims that the government is not doing enough to help the people face rising prices.

He said the government had been providing assistance to the people, including in terms of subsidies totalling RM20 billion a year, to help ease their burden.

muhyiddin pc 200910 02 This was in addition to channelling and providing assistance and facilities for their benefit, Muhyiddin (right) said.

"The opposition is accusing the government of not helping the people. The government is actually striving to control the situation," he said during a visit to Pulau Ketam, near Kangar today.

Pulau Ketam was Muhyiddin's first stop in his one-day, event-packed visit to Perlis.

It was raining when Muhyiddin made the speech to about 500 people but they remained steadfast listening to his address. Present were Menteri Besar Md Isa Sabu and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

The opposition, Muhyiddin said, would criticise the government even if the rising costs were due to external factors, such as climate change which destroyed crops and the rise in global crude oil prices.

He called on the people to embark on prudent spending, apart from striving to increase their income by utilising the facilities provided by the government.

To help ease the people's burden, the government also formulated the Competition Act 2010 to promote better business practices and to check against anti-competitive practices.

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