Gov't wants healthy business climate, says Saifuddin

PARLIAMENT | Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution has stressed that the government's priority is to maintain a healthy business climate in the country despite being pressured to address the "Buy Muslim First" campaign.

"The government's official position is that it cannot be a monopoly or block anyone else's opportunity meaning a healthy competitive business climate is prioritised.

"The prices must be competitive, the products and services must be of good quality, the halal element cannot be set aside, respecting the choices and rights of the consumers all are the basis of whatever programmes the government wants to do.

"That is why we came forth with the 'Buy Malaysian Products First' campaign because Malaysia has Malays, Chinese, Indians, Iban, Kadazan, all kinds, so we must move forward together as that is better for everyone," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this in response to an additional question from Hassan Karim (Harapan-Pasir Gudang) who had asked whether the government should be supporting the Buy Muslim Products First campaign as it was a multiracial and multicultural country.

Earlier, Saifuddin had responded to a question from Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) who had asked whether the Buy Muslim Products First campaign would have a detrimental effect on the country's economic growth.

The minister said as the campaign only started in July and August, the government did not have enough data to conclude whether it had an effect on the country's economic growth.

After Saifuddin answered Hassan's question, Ismail Sabri (BN-Bera) then accused the minister of confusing the Buy Muslim Products First campaign with a campaign to boycott non-Muslim products.

"I hope you are not confused and that you will not give a negative impression of the Buy Muslim Products First campaign by conflating it with a boycott campaign against non-Muslims," Ismail said.

Saifuddin then replied that he was "crystal clear" in his earlier answers to Noraini and Hassan and that he did not mention the word "boycott" at all.

"I spoke about the platform or the principles to have good business practices which should be the stand of the government.

"I grounded my answer by saying in a country with various ethnicities, I think there should be efforts to uplift the efforts from all parties.

"If there are efforts started by Muslim entrepreneurs, we will support them. If there are efforts by our non-Muslim friends, the government will also support them, as long as they follow the principles and platforms that I have outlined," Saifuddin said. - Mkini