Gov’t easing burden of high cost of living in Sarawak

DPM Ahmad Zahid says RM300 million was allocated in the 2016 Budget to standardise prices of goods in Sabah and Sarawak with those in the peninsula.

SERIAN: The government is committed to helping ease the burden of the high cost of living for Sarawakians, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Hence the allocation of almost RM300 million in the 2016 budget to standardise the prices of goods in Sabah and Sarawak with those in the peninsula, he said.

“We are concerned about profiteering, traders increasing their prices and the differing prices of goods in the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.”

He said this at a Leaders-People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) programme at the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Chung Hua multi-purpose hall here today.

Meanwhile, he hoped Rela members in Sarawak would provide assistance in enforcement activities, whenever required, to monitor the price of goods.

“Based on a cooperation with the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, Rela has been given some clout to assist in enforcement to prevent traders from raising the prices of goods according to their whims.”

He said the authority was accorded as acknowledgement of Rela’s significance and hoped its 3.8 million members nationwide would reciprocate the government’s confidence in them by carrying out their monitoring responsibilities well.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid wants the 341,000 Rela members in Sarawak to set aside their political differences and give their undivided support to Chief Minister Adenan Satem.

He said strong support for Adenan would ensure victory for Barisan Nasional in the state election on May 7 and provide the chief minister with the mandate to implement Sarawak’s development agenda smoothly.

“We want Tok Nan (Adenan) to bring more development, particularly to the rural areas. We want Tok Nan to have that bond with the prime minister so that the latter would set aside more allocations for the rural areas in the state.”

Also present at the programme were Human Resources Minister Richard Riot Jaem, who is also Member of Parliament for Serian, and four BN candidates, Roland Sagah (Tarat), Michael Manyin (Tebedu), Martin Ben (Kedup) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja).

– BERNAMA