Subsidised oil: Should govt act against 'makcik goreng pisang', PM asks
PARLIAMENT | Implementing targeted subsidies to help those most in need is a complex matter, said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
For example, while using subsidised palm oil in polybags is not allowed for commercial purposes, there are low-income earners who do have to resort to doing so to make a living, he said...
PARLIAMENT | Implementing targeted subsidies to help those most in need is a complex matter, said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
For example, while using subsidised palm oil in polybags is not allowed for commercial purposes, there are low-income earners who do have to resort to doing so to make a living, he said.
"The makcik (lady) who sells goreng pisang (banana fritters), they are not allowed to use (subsidised) cooking oil to sell goreng pisang, that is wrong.
"But are authorities supposed to fine the makcik or seize her oil?
"We would be accused of being cruel against the poor who are eking out a living. It is not as easy as ABC," Ismail Sabri told the Dewan Rakyat today.
The premier added that anyone regulating subsidised cooking oil would not have the heart to take action.
He was responding to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who sought answers on how the government was tackling the rising cost of living.
Anwar (Pakatan Harapan-Port Dickson) had called on the government to force palm oil companies making huge profits to allocate 10 to 15 percent of their output to be sold at low prices.
Ismail Sabri replied that there are multiple challenges in ensuring cheaper oil gets to the right hands.
He cited the smuggling of subsidised oil across the border as an example, a big problem that the government is ramping up efforts to crack down on.
Petrol prices, multiple task forces
On petrol subsidies, the prime minister pointed out that this has been studied by multiple administrations including Harapan, but a concrete solution still hasn't been put to the test.
Anwar, however, said that if the government had the political will, it could lower prices for the B60.
On the government's penchant for task forces, Ismail Sabri said that a task force on the cost of living has been in place since 2014.
Under the Harapan government, he pointed out that it was known as the National Action Council on Cost of Living.
This council, he said, looked at the big picture on policies, and met twice a year.
However, with the current rise in the cost of living, the government decided that the task force - now dubbed Jihad Against Inflation Special Task Force - should meet twice a week and be proactive in taking steps to curb inflation.
