KUCHING, Jan 1: Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen has called on the Sarawak government to stabilise pork prices in the State, which would allegedly be increased by RM3 per kilogramme (kg) next week.
He said the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Chan Foong Hin, on Dec 30 last year, announced that he held dialogue sessions with the pig farmers and butchers and all stakeholders who have agreed that the price of pork will not be increased before Chinese New Year.
“Unfortunately, as Chan’s Ministry has no jurisdiction over Sarawak, which enjoys autonomy in this aspect, such a decision and policy could not be applied in Sarawak.
“Sure enough, without the active intervention by the government, on Dec 31 last year, it was revealed that the price of pork will be increased by another whopping RM3 per kg the following week,” he said in a statement today.
Chong, who is Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, further said he had raised the matter in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) recently but claimed that Minister of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom did not come up with any concrete solution.
“Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), despite its numerous ADUNs (elected representatives) and (with their presence) in the Cabinet, has also failed to address and resolve the matter.
“If YB Chan Foong Hin could, at least, stabilise pork prices in West Malaysia during the Chinese New Year season, there is no reason why can’t the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, with its strong representation in DUN and more than RM10 billion revenue which the GPS government is always boasting about, cannot do anything to help.
“I, therefore, call upon the GPS to be more proactive in exercising its autonomy to help the common Sarawak people,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
