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KOTA KINABALU : The Women Chief of Parti Warisan Putatan Division, Juriah Uda urged the State Government to come out with an affirmative and concrete plan to curb the price increase of food items in Sabah that affects hundred thousands of Sabahans.
She also said rising production costs particularly in the procurement of seeds, fertilizers and machineries faced by local agropreneurs have been deliberated numerous times in the State Assembly hence the continuous, progressive increase on price of food items in Sabah depict the ineffectiveness of whatever step taken by GRS during the past 4 and a half years to mitigate the problem.
“While shopping at a supermarket in Kota Kinabalu recently, I was shocked to see limes that are needed as basic ingredient in cooking and widely used by restaurants and hawkers was sold at RM11.90 per kilogram.
I am sure that thousands of consumers especially fulltime housewives who frequent various supermarkets and wet markets daily for best deals will notice not only the price of this lime but other food items as well and the sudden increase on price of our agricultural produce is causing unnecessary financial pressure to various parties including restaurant owners and hawkers who will have no other choice but to pass the costs to the consumers.
This skyrocketing price of food items compounded with rising cost of living and State’s economic stagnation that hinders the increase in household income will create a massive pressure on Sabahans living in suburbs and this will in turn, push them into either the hardcore or absolute poverty bracket.
It is apparent that GRS leaders do not have the economic understanding and balancing act skills that are needed for a visioned leadership and focused management of the State and while their aspiration to end poverty in Sabah is praiseworthy, it may fail because the Chief Minister, Hajiji Mohd Noor and his Cabinet Ministers do not possess the same competency, assertiveness and commitment that Sarawak Premier, Abang Jo and his Cabinet Ministers have shown,” she stated in a statement today.
Juriah also urged the State Government to apply for e-invoice exemption for Sabah with the Federal Ministry of Finance for at least another year for the benefit of local entrepreneurs.
“I was made to know from Warisan wanita leaders who made their Chinese New Year walkabouts recently that one of the main issues that worries the Chinese business communities is the implementation of e-invoicing in Sabah by middle of this year.
Many are said to be very unhappy with the inability of the State Government to protect the interest of the local Sabahan entrepreneurs who are already facing multiple challenges in managing their businesses especially on rising expenditures, unstable water and electricity supplies, deplorable infrastuctures and continuous floodings.
Both the State and Federal Government should not equate our local entrepreneurs with their counterparts at Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang or Johor who enjoy superiority in terms of business operation hence I think the appeal by our Sabahan entrepreneurs for the (e-invoice) exemption warrant serious consideration,” she concluded.
