MPN to continue role as advisory body to gov't - Muhyiddin

He said the council would always give its views and thoughts, but it was up to the government to accept them or not.

The former prime minister said the MPN had recently held discussions with economists and other leaders on issues surrounding inflation and rising global food prices as well as food security.

"Following that, the MPN suggested to the government to have a short-term strategy to produce basic items such as food, livestock and others by using a structured method.

"Similarly, in the long run, everyone needs to be prepared, we have given the ideas," he told reporters after attending a ceremony to fete those leaving for the Haj pilgrimage and the handing over of sacrificial cattle for the Pagoh parliamentary constituency here today.

He was asked to comment on the people's grouses regarding the rising prices of goods of late.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin welcomed the additional cash assistance under the 'Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia' (BKM) aid of RM100 for B40 households and RM50 for singles announced by the government on Wednesday.

Commenting on the Cabinet post of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister held by former Bersatu member Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, Muhyiddin said it was up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to decide on the matter.

On May 26, Zuraida announced that she was leaving Bersatu to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) and expressed her readiness to resign as a Cabinet minister if instructed to do so by the Prime Minister.