Ministry to guide public to spend wisely
GEORGE TOWN: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry will deploy its officers to advise the public on ways to manage the cost of living.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, said the effort would create awareness of the importance of good spending habits in the face of rising costs of goods and services.
“Most importantly, people must know the extent of their purchasing power and how much they can actually spend. The ukur baju di badan sendiri (cut your coat according to your cloth) concept must be applied at all times.
“The ministry’s officers will go to the ground, schools and communities to (emphasise) this.
From the government’s side, we are taking steps to ensure that the prices of basic necessities, including meat and rice, are controlled, especially during the festive season.
“The government distributes BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) to people in the Bottom 40 per cent category, hence the onus is on the people to spend wisely,” Hamzah said after launching the annual Multaqa Gabungan Ahli-Sunnah Malaysia (Gasma) meeting here yesterday.
The meeting, attended by nongovernmental organisations, was held to discuss issues related to the Muslim community.
Present were Gasma chairman Abdullah Yasin, Chinese Muslim preacher and scholar Hussain Yee Abdullah and Masjid alHaram, Mecca, mufti Sulaiman Al-Salumi.