What's govt doing to bring down food cost inflation, asks Hamzah

PARLIAMENT | Opposition and government MPs have banded together in the Dewan Rakyat today in urging the government to address rising costs of living, particularly amid increased food price inflation.

Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) had first questioned Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying on the government’s plan to tackle the rising food cost inflation, taking issue with the expanded sales and service tax (SST) affecting food items.

“What is the government’s actual plan to bring down food price inflation? With its strategy to increase SST rates, how is it possible to do so?

“There’s no need to talk about Rahmah sales if costs of goods are still going up,” the Bersatu deputy president scathingly said, referring to the government’s Rahmah initiative aimed at offering consumers basic necessities below market price.

Stressing that the rakyat are feeling increasingly burdened by high costs of living, Hamzah (above) said Selangor had recorded a 3.1 percent increase in food price inflation, with Putrajaya and Negeri Sembilan witnessing a 2.9 percent and 3.3 percent hike, respectively.

In response, Lim told the lower house that while the nation’s overall inflation rate stands at 1.1 percent as of June, the inflation rate for food prices is at 2.1 percent.

She noted that while specific locations could have higher rates for food costs, the Finance Ministry’s data is on the country’s comprehensive food price inflation.

Admitting that the government is aware that food prices and costs of living will rise following the SST expansion, she asserted that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry will continue to monitor prices.

Proper explanation needed

Her response, however, did not appease Hassan Karim (Harapan-Pasir Gudang), who urged the deputy minister to “respect” Hamzah’s question as it is a crucial query, especially at a time when the opposition is organising a rally to protest the prime minister’s leadership.

“Your (Lim’s) answer is good, but can the government, under the current conditions, explain to the rakyat the actual situation before they take to the streets?” he urged.

A gleeful Lim then told the Dewan Rakyat that she does not know how to answer the question, instead pointing to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s special announcement today on measures to reduce the people’s burdens.

The “Turun Anwar” protest scheduled for 2pm this Saturday, organised by the opposition, is meant to be the key highlight in a series of similar protests which have recently taken place on a smaller scale.

Yesterday, Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) claimed the rally in Kuala Lumpur will be the mother of all rallies, confidently predicting a turnout of 300,000 to 500,000.

The protest is aimed at calling for Anwar’s resignation over a flurry of issues said to be affecting the rakyat, including high costs of living.

Reporting by Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, Zarrah Morden, Shakira Buang

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