‘Blame cuts in subsidies for rising prices of food’
DAP’s Charles Santiago says Ku Nan should stop making wild accusations that the opposition is the mastermind behind food sellers increasing prices.
PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago today refuted an allegation by Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor that the opposition is the mastermind behind rising prices of food sold by traders and restaurant operators.
He said the federal territories minister, who is popularly known as Ku Nan, should personally survey the ground and interact with the people instead of making such accusations.
The increasing prices were in fact caused by the escalating cost of living and the cuts in various subsidies by the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government.
This had led to the people having to bear a higher burden, he told FMT.
“Malaysians with their low wages are not able to cope with the high cost of living.”
He said the slashing of subsidies, that had been provided for years, was due to falling government revenue.
He added that the hikes in oil price in the country also showed the federal government’s economic management was not practical or effective.
“I do not understand where Ku Nan learnt economics,” he said.
“He is a senior minister and secretary-general for the Barisan Nasional, but talks like a child who does not understand what is going on in the country.
“Maybe he spends too much time in air-conditioning (surroundings) addressing people under him.”
Tengku Adnan was reported to have said yesterday that opposition parties like PKR and DAP had members in food traders’ associations where they colluded to raise prices to negate the government’s efforts to keep costs down.
Santiago advised him to learn economic management from the Selangor and Penang governments, which are under the opposition.
“Look at Selangor. Despite having a budget of only RM2 billion, it can give various subsidies to the people, such as schemes for newborn babies and for families of those who pass away.”
PKR vice-president Tian Chua characterised Tengku Adnan’s allegation as ridiculous and baseless.
“I am very disappointed with the quality of BN leaders in government.
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“They should be finding ways to resolve the people’s problems, not finding fault and making accusations without any basis.”