Jualan Rakyat to tackle rising living costs, says Hamzah

UMNO has issued a special response in its winding-up to the complaints raised by delegates on rising living costs during debate.

Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, who is also Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister, took to the stage to outline the measures the Government would take to tackle the issue.

He said a Jualan Rakyat (People’s Sale) where goods would be sold at lower than market prices would be conducted nationwide to help address concerns about the cost of living.

The Prime Minister, he said, has also agreed to set up a National Cost of Living Action Council.

“The party president has also agreed for the Jualan Rakyat programme to be held with the participation of our party division leaders nationwide,” he said in his speech.

Hamzah said the Jualan Rakyat programme would help to deal with the negative perceptions raised by the Opposition on living costs.

“We will conduct this programme every month so that the rakyat can really benefit,” he said.

The Government, he pointed out, set aside RM2bil each year for subsidy on essential goods, including sugar, flour, cooking oil, rice and LPG gas.

“The Prime Minister has agreed that the prices of essential goods will not be raised,” he said.

His ministry, said Hamzah, would be amending the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act to further strengthen the law against profiteering.

“We will include elements (in the Act) which will allow us to fight those who commit offences by raising prices indiscriminately.”

On Friday, Federal Territories delegate Datuk Rizalman Mokhtar said that the rakyat was watching the measures to be taken by the Government to tackle rising living costs.

He also warned that if nothing was done, it would be an uphill task to win the hearts of voters in the general election.

Ammar Adnan, a student council representative from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, suggested that fuel subsidies be given to undergraduates as a way of helping them cope with rising living costs.