Khairy: Lab to study the cost of living to be set up next year

A laboratory to study the cost of living in Malaysia will be set up under the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) of the Prime Minister’s Department.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the lab will be set up to review the people’s living cost and to give targeted assistance to the needy.

He said the lab will be set up early next year.

“The lab will look at the cost of living and will come up with solutions and recommendations. The recommendations will then be tabled in the Cabinet after finalised,” he told Astro AWANI.

Apart from that, the lab will also look at programmes and policies that could be implemented to reduce the cost of living.

Khairy said he raised up the matter during the Cabinet meeting held today, because the rising cost of living is a serious matter.

He said the Cabinet was very receptive towards the raised matter.

“We have to give assurance that the quality of life of Malaysians is good,” he said.

Khairy added that the lab’s members will be announced by PEMANDU Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Seri Idris Jala.

Before this, Khairy had said that the three things that plague the youth in this country are the cost of living, corruption and crime.

"This matter should be raised at the Cabinet level so that the people do not feel pressured," he said.