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‘Jihad’ task force shows govt’s commitment to tackling inflation, says Zuraida

She says the Special Task Force on Jihad against Inflation must step up enforcement to curb profiteering by unscrupulous traders.

Bernama
2 minute read
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Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

The newly formed Special Task Force on Jihad against Inflation shows that the government is committed to tackling the pressing issues affecting the community and is not detached from the public, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said today.

Zuraida, the Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president-designate, said the party welcomed Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement on the matter and urged the task force to step up enforcement to curb profiteering by unscrupulous traders.

“We have received a lot of feedback that some traders were jacking up prices, in some cases beyond the ceiling price set by the government. The government must be seen to be cracking down on these errant businesses and must throw the book at them,” she said in a statement today.

Zuraida said PBM was optimistic that the multi-ministerial effort would help contain inflation at a manageable rate, and urged Malaysians to realise that the rising prices of goods and services are mainly due to external factors such as the war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions and uncertain global weather conditions.

She also said that compared with other countries, including developed ones, Malaysia had a track record of keeping the lid on inflationary pressure.

“For example, the UK recently announced that its inflation rate was at 9.1%, the highest in 40 years.

“In the US, it was 8.6%, also another four-decade high, while in Malaysia, the inflation rate for May was at 2.8% as announced by the statistics department,” she said.

Zuraida said the government should also be commended for setting the ceiling price for chicken at RM9.40 per kg as this would enable Malaysians to purchase chicken at a more affordable price.

Yesterday, Ismail announced that the Cabinet had agreed to form a Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation to help Malaysian families face the rising cost of living.