ALL RISE: State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker, Dato Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar (right) arriving for the swearing-in of the DUN members yesterday. The DUN began its sitting yesterday for the first time after the April state election. Out of the 71 state seats, Barisan Nasional (BN) won 55 and opposition 15 (DAP-12, PKR-3, Independant - 1). — Bernama photo
KUCHING: Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing has reminded rubber dealers to stop manipulating the prices of the commodity as it would not be healthy for the farmers (producers).
He said that some unscrupulous dealers had been manipulating the prices of rubber particularly in Kapit Division just before the Gawai Dayak celebration.
“They (rubber dealers) brought the price up or down at their fancy. When the farmers came down to sell their rubber hoping to get some extra money for the Gawai the dealers told them that the price had gone down to RM7 per kg but it shot up to RM9 per kg after the celebration. Now it’s over RM10 a kg.
“This is a clear manipulation of rubber prices by the dealers. I suggest that the relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism and Federal Agriculture Marketing Agency (FAMA look into this for the sake of our farmers,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony of all 71 elected representatives at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) in Petra Jaya, here yesterday, Masing said that the agencies should work out some mechanism to regulate the prices of the commodity to prevent them (farmers) from being cheated by the dealers.
“Make sure there is no manipulation of prices by the dealers and if there is, go after them,” Masing said.