THE Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has given an assurance that the issue of high chicken prices and supply shortage in the market will be resolved within two weeks.

Deputy minister Rosol Wahid said a meeting with the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry was held last week to find a solution to the issue, which is said to have occurred in several areas.

He said among the matters discussed in the meeting were, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry would consider importing chicken to address the supply shortage and stabilise prices.

“It is not only about the increase in prices but there is also a shortage chicken supply in the market, for example, in Terengganu,” he told a press conference after officiating at the national-level Buy Malaysian Products Campaign in Langkawi today.

“Our ministry, together with Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry, will find ways to overcome it.”

On the issue of subsidised cooking oil packets, Rosol admitted that there is a shortage of supply in the market as producers have not been able to produce after they did not receive subsidy payment from the government.

“We will discuss with the Finance Ministry to settle the subsidy payment to the cooking oil producers,” he said.

Rosol said the restaurant in Langkawi that went viral for selling a sea bass dish for RM1,196 has until Wednesday to provide an explanation to the ministry on the matter.

He said the restaurant owner had previously been issued with a notice to explain the prices of food sold but failed to provide detailed information on the matter.

It was reported that a Facebook user had expressed shock after he was charged RM1,196.80 for a sea bass dish by a floating restaurant in Langkawi. – Bernama, November 13, 2021.