PUTRAJAYA: The National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) has proposed that the price control policy and chicken subsidies be continued until the policy relating to the targeted mechanism is finalised.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) said that another recommendation put forward was to review the two-tier pricing mechanism which involved only 1.6 per cent of the total production of crude palm oil for bottled packaging and 8.4 per cent for packet palm oil.
He added in a statement issued after chairing the meeting on Monday (Jan 9) that cross-agency coordination must be implemented by the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry to examine the improvement of the implementation mechanism.
Ahmad Zahid said this is for the two-tier pricing system, so that any decision does not have major implications on the parties concerned at the industry or consumer level.
Also proposed was the recommendation to address the cost of living issue using the policy and legislation on competition to ensure a healthy and fair market and industry to protect the interests of consumers from the threat of cartels and monopolies, he said.
"Thus, the agenda of empowering competition and healthy and fair market is also given attention including the strengthening of MyCC (Malaysian Competition Commission) through amendments to the Competition Act 2010 in Parliament which should be expedited middle of this year," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said it also proposed that the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) should increase direct-from-farm sales.
"A total of 10,000 sales are expected at 1,793 sales premises throughout the country. The price that will be offered is also expected to be lower than the market price," he said, adding that the meeting also proposed that FAMA should be upgraded as a Food Safety and Security Agency to ensure the production and distribution of selected major foods for the country are done consistently, efficiently and sufficiently.
Ahmad Zahid said data from relevant agencies such as the Department of Statistics Malaysia should be used to identify market segments for sales to be more effective and benefit the target group. - Bernama
