People shop for vegetables at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur October 28, 2021. Other than vegetables, the price of a standard loaf of bread by popular local maker Gardenia has also been reported to have increased recently. – Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Cost of Living Committee has called on Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi and his deputy Datuk Rosol Wahid to resign after failing to control the price hike of food items.
A statement issued by the committee said PH lawmakers have raised the issue in Parliament but the government has yet to resolve the issue, which it said shows the duo’s incompetence.
“Therefore, the Pakatan Harapan Cost of Living Committee concluded that the current government has failed to address the issue of rising food prices.
“So we urge both the two ministers and the deputy ministers of KPDNHEP to take the responsibility to resign,” it said in a statement today.
Two days ago, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had questioned whether Nanta will resign from his ministerial post if he fails to control the rising prices of daily goods.
In a statement, the Bagan MP said Nanta had promised to sort out the pricing issue by December 9 but questioned what the minister would do if he can’t reverse the increase in prices of vegetables.
Nanta had acknowledged the rising prices of goods, for example, chicken, and attributed it to the increased cost of operations and materials.
He said that to remedy the situation, his ministry had held engagement sessions with major chicken farm owners in the country and discussed with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries on implementing a fixed price for standard chicken.
Previously, Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said he was aware of the situation but added that ministry officers found no price hike in vegetables in Penang.
Other than vegetables, the price of a standard loaf of bread by popular local maker Gardenia has also been reported to have increased recently.