KUALA LUMPUR, 17 July: The Federal Government has been urged to accelerate the announcement of the ceiling price for poultry this Friday and not on August 1 to avoid consumers to be burdened with high and uncertain market prices.
Pokok Sena Parliamentarian, Datuk Mahfuz Omar said that the Federal Government should set a ceiling price for poultry as early as the month of Ramadan in lieu of the public demand for the meat has remained high over the years.
In fact, he said, the ceiling price which is set has to take into account the interests of consumers by ensuring that it does not exceed RM6.80 per kilogram as set last year.
“The Minister said that the Government would only announce the ceiling price for poultry early this August, which for me, is too long a period to look forward to by consumers.
“I am very disappointed with the government for being so weak in handling the issue of raising prices every festive season and they have failed from past experiences.
“I ask for the ceiling price this year to not exceed that of last year because I do not see the real problem contributing to the increase of the price of poultry,” he said in a press conference at the Parliament lobby this morning.
He stressed that the Federal Government should also identify whether the price hike is caused by suppliers, retailers of middlemen who manipulate the poultry market.
As an initial step, he said, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) should be given the responsibility to supply chicken to retailers so that the prices of chicken can be controlled.
“The Government should not play with the issue when prices rise, consumers are advised to not eat when we are facing sudden price increases every year.
“If it has reached a crucial situation, FAMA must become the supplier for retailers,” he added.
The Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism, Datuk Hasan Malek had previously said that they would only implement the ceiling price for poultry in early August, at the end of the Ramadan month.
Hassan also urged the public to ‘switch’ their tastes from eating chicken to eating other meats such as fish and beef in effort to curb the rising prices of poultry.
Hassan said that the move was necessary as there are unscrupulous people out there who are trying to take advantage as the Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr) festive season draws near by increasing prices arbitrarily.
Previous price for chicken which was around RM6.50 to RM7.00 per kilogram sharply increased at the start of the fasting month to over RM7.50; which is from RM8.00 to RM9.00.
