‘Govt cannot control price increases’

December 21, 2013

Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said the three core thrusts outlined by the government and understanding the rationale for GST will help people deal with hikes.

ALOR GAJAH: The government has outlined three core thrusts, namely education, skill and business, to help the people in facing the rising cost of living, Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said yesterday.

He said the government had provided the platform and huge allocation in the fields concerned to enable the people to improve their standard of living.

For example, he said, RM1.4 billion had been allocated through Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), the Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun) and the Night market Entrepreneur Scheme, to provide financing for those keen to venture into or expand their business.

“The government cannot control the increase in prices of good and living cost because in certain situations, the rising cost depends on foreign markets, but this does not mean the government wants to intentionally victimise the people,” he told reporters after launching a book, “Peribadi Dr M”, authored by Saat Sulaiman here.

Ahmad said the three core thrusts were also the key thrusts towards realising the government’s aspiration of making Malaysia a high-income country by 2020.

Hence, he said, the people should understand the rationale in abolishing the subsidy on certain goods and the introduction of the Goods and Service Tax (GST).

The objective was not to burden the people, but to enable the government to channel more aid in the long term, he added.

-Bernama