Boycotting won’t solve cost of living crisis


BOYCOTT – the new trend being advocated by newly minted Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli. 

Is this the best advice he can give, when he is supposed to be looking into the rising cost of living?

All that talk about tackling issues surrounding the people’s hardships seems to have fizzled out with him eventually asking the ordinary people to boycott businesses that appear to indiscriminately increase food prices. 

If it were that easy to address the problem, I think Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government need not have an economy minister. 

The people are in acute need of a holistic and workable solution to the rising cost of living. 

We do not need a fire-fighting minister who is simply too short-sighted to realise the gravity of the situation on the ground. 

Rafizi’s recent statements on curbing inflation do not reflect the level of quality we expect from the current government.

During the general election campaign and even prior to that, Pakatan Harapan (PH) was harping on the previous government’s inefficiency in handling these issues. 

Today, we have a PH minister who is clearly missing the forest for the trees. 

His simplistic media statements show he lacks an understanding of supply chain economics and the management of the retail and service industries. 

There are a whole bunch of essentials that factor into the pricing mechanisms for goods and services at each level of production before they reach the consumer. 

It is high time Rafizi begins to actually learn that decisions made by top corporate managers are different for those running small retail outlets. 

Talk is cheap on the political stage, but reality bites when you can’t deliver. 

Rafizi must prove to all Malaysians that he has more feasible and effective action plans to manage the cost of living crisis, instead of just asking us to boycott this and that business.

Walk your talk or resign. – January 22, 2023.

* Narinder Pal Singh reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.


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Comments


  • We know leadership in all sectors are infested with crooks and idiots.

    It's of no use getting rid of crooks but retaining morons.

    Other countries select the best snd brightest to lead.

    Posted 1 year ago by Malaysian First · Reply