June 16, 2009
PUTRAJAYA, June 16 (Bernama) -- The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry will be asked to intervene to resolve problems on chicken prices as all matters pertaining to the Chicken Rearers Association falls under its jurisdiction.
Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakub said to that effect, the ministry would study the need for the setting up of a joint committee to expedite efforts to solve the problems.
He said a committee to determine chicken prices, chaired by the ministry's secretary-general, could not be held because representatives from the Chicken Rearers Association refused to attend the meeting.
"The Chicken Rearers Association is under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture and Agro based Industry Ministry. They don't feel guilty if they don't attend the meeting because they are not under the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry.
"I'll discuss with the ministry's secretary-general and the Agriculture Ministry about this," he told a press conference after a pre-launch of the Malaysia Consumers Day here Tuesday.
On the Consumers' Day celebration, he said it would be themed, "Satu Suara" (One Voice), which he said was the key word to solving problems on consumerism.
"The people cannot hope for the government to use its powers to protect their interests because as consumers, they are more powerful that the laws that we have.
"For example prices of goods, the government cannot control the prices because the Price Control Act only allows it to fix the ceiling price for goods which have been gazetted as controlled items," he added.
He said traders would be forced to give in to consumers' demands to reduce price if consumers were united.
In another development, Ismail Sabri said the ministry would study the possibility of stationing its officers at public locations nationwide so that immediate actions could be taken if there were complaints.
He said it would be conducted with the assistance of non-governmental organisations and consumers associations in the respective locations.
The Consumers Day celebration, to be held on July 24 to 26, will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Kuantan.
-- BERNAMA
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