What's federal govt doing to tackle rising cost of living, asks DAP

Looi Sue-Chern Looi Sue-Chern Updated 8 years ago · Published on 11 Feb 2018 4:17PM · 3 Comments

Pakatan Harapan deputy president Lim Guan Eng says if the pact wins the 14th general election, it will do away with the goods and services tax and keep the 1Malaysia People's Aid cash handout. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, February 11, 2018.

DAP today asked the federal government what it plans to do to tackle the “big issue” of the rising cost of living, which sees Malaysians not feeling the impact of the nation’s economic growth.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said action must be taken to address the matter as the people were struggling with rising prices.

“What are they (federal government) doing to stop this? The federal government must answer.

“There is proof that economic growth is not felt by the people,” he told a press conference in Penang.

The chief minister was referring to recent reports quoting Mydin boss Ameer Ali Mydin as saying Malaysia’s rosy gross domestic product growth was not felt by the people.

The managing director of the Mydin hypermarket chain, in a recent interview with radio station BFM, had said consumers did not have enough money to spend, and this could be seen in the drop in Mydin’s sales.

Ameer had said growth was fuelled by domestic consumption, but hypermarkets and supermarkets that controlled half of the grocery market in Malaysia were seeing negative growth.

He cited huge price increases in the last five years affecting basic food items, like cabbage (29%), ikan kembung (19.5%), Maggi chilli sauce (38.8%) and Ayam-brand sardine (30.6%).

“And you can say 6% may be because of the goods and services tax,” he was quoted as saying.

Lim, who is also Pakatan Harapan deputy president, said the opposition had a way to address the problem.

“We have said we will do away with GST and keep the BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) cash handout.

“We have the means to see this through.”

When asked what he thought of Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob calling on the Chinese to return their support to Barisan Nasional, Lim said the same minister, from Umno, had previously blamed local Chinese businesses and accused them of profiteering.

In 2015, Ismail Sabri had posted a comment on Facebook, telling Malay consumers to boycott Chinese-owned businesses that had increased their prices indiscriminately, claiming that the boycott could help lower the prices of goods in the country.

“In the past, this same minister had blamed Chinese businesses, using a baseless allegation. Now, he is asking for Chinese votes?

“BN cannot play the race card any more. You cannot blame the Chinese any more. Even now, the Mydin boss is saying the same about price increases.”

Asked to comment on the 6.9% dividend payout for conventional savings declared by the Employees Provident Fund yesterday – the highest rate ever since the 6.7% announced in 1997 – he said: “Of course it will bring cheer to the people. But if the dividend is still (as high as) 6.9% after the election, then we will cheer also. I will ‘yamseng’ (make a toast) with you.” – February 11, 2018.

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Comments

  • Perhaps Lim Guan Eng would care to explain what he believes are the causes for the rising cost of living, and what proposals he or those he represent might have in mitigate these causes and reverse the trend? We don't need anyone to explain that there is a problem here, we are all aware of the problem, thank you very much. What we don't have is the solutions, and just highlighting the problem, and pointing his fingers at the failures of others to resolve the problem, does not make us believe that lim guan eng is any more capable in finding a a solution than those he is pointing his fingers at. If lim guan eng could just put his plan of your action out for us to study and scrutinise, perhaps it will inspire our confidence in him and his side.

    Posted 8 years ago by Nehru Sathiamoorthy · Reply

  • Well we dont want to spill the beans too early. That is politics my friend. But the general manisfesto is already announced. Once we have power we can implement the so called solution. Trust that BN has run out of ideas and is evident from what we are suffering now. Professionals cant afford to make a comfortable living, businesses are closing down and people are not spending as much. There are more poor people than rich so what is BN blowing trumpet of a few who go overseas? Some could be forced to go on shoe string budget given our poor exchange rate. What does the PM know about suffering of the people? Born into privileged life and lived on government entitlement most his life. Does he ever know what is it like to go hungry or get caught in rain or worry of next month’s bills? Has he ever had to go to jail for a cause he believed in? That is why we are pointing to him as the bad economy is felt despite the rosy numbers which is only on paper.

    Posted 8 years ago by Gerald Mak · Reply

  • DAP is the best. Where can you buy a bungalow (no swimming pool) with RM1 million. PENANG Yes. DAP Yes.

    Posted 8 years ago by Chris Ng · Reply