Produce price hike: PKR rep says gov't fails to ensure food security

The soaring price hike of chicken and vegetables showed that the Perikatan Nasional government has failed to ensure food security in the country, said Semambu assemblyperson Lee Chean Chung.

Lee said he had warned of the food price last month when he rebuked the government for not addressing food security issues in lacking a plan to utilise the RM1 billion Food Security Fund.

"The government’s failure to address the food supply chain issue during the movement control order (MCO) period has caused farmers to take necessary action in reducing production, without anticipating that the demand for food and fresh produce will increase during the festive season like now," said the PKR representative in a statement.

He said the rental increase of agricultural land by 500 percent at Cameron Highlands in February has also contributed to the price hike of produce.

The situation has worsened as the purchasing power of the people has declined due to job losses and wages cut, Lee said.

He reiterated that the government should take the national food security issue seriously and review the 72 government-owned Permanent Food Production Programme sites.

"Its effectiveness should be scrutinised, and the contracts of the incompetent operators as well as those who do not cultivate the land themselves, should be terminated," he said.

Harian Metro today reported that the Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Rosol Wahid (above) has urged the public not to boycott the purchase of chicken.

He said consumers have the option to buy chicken at a cheap price in certain supermarkets.

"My advice to consumers is to find (a place) where they can get a cheap supply. They are available. I myself have checked," he said.

The media had reported the increase in the price of chicken across markets in several states, from RM3 to RM7 per kg in Kelantan; RM6.50 to RM8.50 in Johor; RM4.60 to RM9 in Selangor; and up to RM9.60 in Terengganu.

Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said that the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry will announce the annual festive period price control list today to ensure there will be no sudden increase in prices of basic goods. - Mkini