By K Pragalath
MP
Dzulkefly Ahmad blames withdrawal of subsidies for rising prices.
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat has
challenged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to dismantle what it calls the
culprit of inflation — crony capitalism.
“They know
how to do it, but they don’t want to do it,” said Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly
Ahmad, who heads Pakatan Rakyat’s budget committee.
He was
responding to Najib’s latest statement on what the government was doing about
the rising cost of living.
“We will look into ways to improve the agriculture supply
chain to ensure minimal food loss during the production and supply process,”
Najib said in a blog entry on 1malaysia.com.my.
“We will
expand rakyat-focused initiatives such as the 1Malaysia Clinic, Kedai Rakyat
1Malaysia and most recently, the 1Malaysia Rakyat Menu.”
Dzulkefly
said a major cause of rising prices was the government’s withdrawal of
subsidies on essential items such as rice, gas and sugar.
“The
subsidy withdrawals were piecemeal and selective,” he said.
“They did
not withdraw subsidies for the independent power producers.”
He said
Barisan Nasional cronies owned the power firms and the government did not dare
lay its hands on them because they funded the BN election machinery.
Urban poor
DAP’s PJ
Utara MP Tony Pua meanwhile asked Najib to explain how his administration’s
efforts would benefit the urban poor.
“The
effects of inflation is felt more in the urban areas than in the rural areas,”
he said.
Cameron
Highlands MP SK Devamany, who is a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department, said he was confident that the government’s efforts against
inflation would show results.
“We will
have to increase production to increase supply in the market,” he said.
He said the
government was also looking into the part played by cartels in the manipulation
of prices.
He urged
the public to report on “unscrupulous traders”, saying such feedback was
crucial in checking inflation.
Source : FMT
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