KPDNHEP assures comprehensive solution to food price hikes - Nanta

KUALA LUMPUR: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the ministry has a month to find a complete and comprehensive solution to the price hikes of goods and food.

He said for a short-term solution, KPDNHEP is introducing the Malaysia Family Sales which will offer basic necessities at prices up to 20 per cent lower than market prices.

Nanta said his team is planning to hold this in stages in each of the 222 parliamentary constituencies nationwide.

"For now, the ministry is proposing to hold the sales twice a month, however, there have been requests for us to have them more frequently. The Malaysia Family Sales will be a short-term measure so that consumers can visit such places to make their purchasers at a price that is lower than the market.

"We need to see how we can overcome this problem in the long term. We are worried that if we do not have a long-term solution then these (price increases) can happen at any time," he said during an interview on TV1's "Selamat Pagi Malaysia", which discussed the topic of KPDNHEP's 100-day Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family Aspiration), today

The Malaysia Family Sales will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at Dataran Perpustakaan Lembah Pantai here, at 5 pm today.

Nanta said price increases of goods and food are caused by several factors. Among them are business activities such as restaurants and eateries that have returned to being fully operational causing the demand for basic goods to increase sharply.

"Another factor is the drop in output of vegetables from Cameron Highlands, Pahang due to the end of the monsoon season. Then there is the shortage of foreign labour in the industry which is affecting production activities.

"We also understand that there are imported vegetables that are selling for high prices too,'' he said.

In another development, Nanta said KPDNHEP is urging those who have lost jobs or businesses due to COVID-19 to venture into the franchise industry. The potential of this industry is huge as it is based on an existing business and is easy to start as it has a wide market.

"...to open a branch (franchise) for example, we (KPDNHEP) can assist, because have been given an allocation under the budget to expand franchises," he added.

-- BERNAMA