DOMESTIC Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub has assured that the government will ensure there is no major increase in the prices of goods until the end of the year.

He said this was made possible after his ministry had reached an agreement with 30 industry players last week.

He said if there was to be a price increase, the industry players would discuss with the government to justify their action.

Salahuddin’s assurance comes as the cost-of-living issue is set to take centre stage in the run-up to the state elections.

“So far, there has not been any price increase on subsidised basic goods. For non-subsidised goods, the prices are controlled,” he told reporters after reviewing the prices of goods at Econsave Setapak Sentral today.

“There is no country in the world that controls all the prices of goods. What is there is, the government is responsible for controlling some of the basic goods for the people. That is what we are doing.”

Salahuddin, however, said the government would address the issue of prices of goods if there are natural disasters.

“If there is a natural disaster, a major flood and so on, we will make sure action is taken on the prices of goods,” he said.

Six states – Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Teregganu – are set to go to the polls on August 12.

The opposition, in its initial ceramah, has harped on the cost of living, which it claims is continuing to rise under the unity government.

PH, in its campaigning during the federal polls last November, had highlighted the prices of goods going up under the Ismail Sabri Yaakob government and promised voters it would bring it down.

In May, Salahuddin declared Menu Rahmah has successfully contributed to a lower inflation rate of the food-outside-the-home for the first time since August 2021.

He said the rate dropped from 9.6% to 9.3% since the initiative, pioneered by voluntary food operators, was introduced in January.

Salahuddin said the initiative also helped participating eateries increase their sales by 25-30% on average. – July 11, 2023.