Kedah UMNO Youth forms price monitoring squad

The Kedah UMNO Youth has formed a price monitoring squad to help the government monitor the prices of goods.

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism has also been urged to be more attentive to the needs of the people, especially low-income earners.

This follows claims from consumers that the prices of several items in the country, especially essential goods, have risen of late, thus burdening them.

As such, Kedah UMNO Youth is urging the ministry to act firmly and enhance the monitoring of prices especially on daily items.

“We will provide the necessary feedback to the authorities about the price hike which was done recklessly. We will monitor the prices of items which were unfairly increased,” said Kedah UMNO Youth chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy.

Concerned with the issue, the youth wing took a drastic measure by collaborating with the Kedah Consumers Association to establish a special committee to monitor the prices of goods which have impacted negatively on the people.

He added, there was a trend to increase the prices of goods with minimal restrictions and control at the lower level.

A price comparison made in 2008 to 2013 showed the price of goods had increased by 15 to 20 percent, especially on everyday items like onions, margarine and biscuits.

It is understood that the price monitoring team will conduct monitoring exercises for a week starting Monday in the main markets and supermarkets in the state.