SEVERAL student bodies today warned the government they will not hesitate to take to the streets if Putrajaya does not listen to their demands to reduce the prices of goods and to refrain from cutting subsidies.

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) student union president Aliff Naif said they want the government to answer to the five demands they have listed.

“Listen to our demands or we will hit the streets,” Aliff said at a press conference at the IIUM campus in Gombak, Selangor, today.

Aliff said the bodies will announce their next step soon, which he said could take within this week as most of the subsidies will be removed starting Friday.

A salary cut for ministers and their deputies is among the five demands. 

“Their salaries are absurd. It would be better for the large number of ministers to respond to this demand (by agreeing) to show solidarity with the people,” he said. 

Other demands made are to provide adequate aid to all layers citizens, maintain the current subsidies and not reduce any other subsidies, solving the food security issues, and controlling prices of good and food at universities. 

When asked about prices of goods and food at university campuses, Ariff said many students have reached out to the unions to complain that they had soared.

“We are not in the working group. So we don’t have income. 

“The price hike is really affecting us and students of various universities have also told us about the same problem,” he said. 

Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (KMUM) president Ooi Guo Shen said prices in the cafeteria have increased.

“A meal used to cost RM6 but now it has increased to RM7 or RM8,” he said. 

Other student unions represented at the press call were Congress IIUM, Virtue IIUM, Angakatan Mahasiswa UM, Umany, Republican UKM, Suara Mahasiswa UMS, Angkatan Demokrat, Mahasiswa Keadilan Malaysia, Muda Biro Mahasiswa, Mahasiswa Roket and Mahasiswa Amanah Nasional. 

The students group called on all political parties to join their movement to defend the welfare of the people. 

Recently, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the ceiling price for chicken will be removed come July 1. He also announced the end of the ceiling prices for 2kg, 3kg and 5kg bottles of palm oil. 

This sparked a backlash that led to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob reversing the decision on chicken prices, saying they will not be floated and that a new ceiling price will soon be announced.

Ceiling prices for bottled cooking oil will still end on July 1. The government will only subsidise the price of palm oil sold in 1kg poly bags. – June 29, 2022.