KUCHING, Oct 7: The government will no longer need to implement price controls if corporate players maximise their roles in responsibly controlling and managing their respective industries.
Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said this would be one of the ideal situations if there is a balance between profit and providing the best to Malaysians especially consumers and employees.
He pointed out this ‘healthy management’ could contribute to improving cost of living in Malaysia.
On the other hand, the people especially aid recipients since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic should also do their best to change their mentality from being recipients to contributors.
“Education needs to be implemented so that the people understand the need to only receive assistance only when needed,” said Nanta.
Citing assistance programmes as examples, he pointed out the decreased suitability and irrelevance of the one-size-fits-all method to address diverse needs of the people based on the current situation.
“There are people who are affected in need of food basket assistance and there are also those who need financial assistance to cover monthly commitments in order to continue earning a living,” he said during the officiation ceremony of Symposium on Cost of Living 2021 (SCOL 2021) today which was held virtually.
Among those who attended the SCOL 2021 opening ceremony were KPDNHEP Deputy Minister Dato Rosol Wahid and KPDNHEP secretary-general Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad.
The inaugural SCOL 2021 aims to bring together all stakeholders, namely policy makers, implementers, academics and social activists, to get input, feedback and views in addressing cost of living issues.
SCOL 2021, which will be held through Zoom and Facebook Live for two days starting today, will also discuss various new ideas in strengthening efforts to address cost of living in Malaysia, involving 106 representatives from central government agencies, State governments, corporate bodies, higher education institutions, business associations and social organisations.
While the SCOL 2021 keynote address was delivered by Economic Action Council (EAC) executive director Tan Sri Dato Sri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, seven other sessions have also been planned featuring panel members from various fields such as Dato Sri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob, Dato Dr Madeline Berma, Datuk Wira (Dr) Haji Ameer Ali Mydin, Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Zakariah Abd Rashid, Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid, Dr Anthony Dass, His Excellency Ungku Norliza Syazwan Ungku Halmie, Chef Kalidevan Dev Murugaya, and Kuan Chee Heng who is better known as Uncle Potato.
Additionally, KPDNHEP also organised the ‘Bicara Hati Forum’ programme titled “Facing the Issue of Cost of Living from an Islamic Perspective” featuring invited panel members Dato Badli Shah Alauddin and Ustaz Dr Zamri Zainudin.
For any inquiries, industry players and the public may contact the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) at their hotline 03-8882 7010/5741 or email to secretariat.naccol@kpdnhep.gov.my. — DayakDaily
