Sabahans hail scheme to standardise prices of goods

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KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sabah have welcomed the scheme to standardise the prices of essential goods in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan with those in the peninsula, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the 2013 Budget last month.

Consumer and human rights activist Datuk Patrick Sindu said the announcement is good news for the people in the state, who have had to endure higher prices for so long.

“I have been raising this issue with the government and various quarters for 25 years. This is good news for the people especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

“I hope this is not just on paper, it would be pointless without sincere implementation by the authorities,” he told Bernama when contacted yesterday.

He expressed hope that the price standardisation would benefit the people and not just suppliers and wholesalers.

Meanwhile, State Consumer Squad chairperson Datuk Amisah Yassin said she hoped traders cooperate with the government to ensure the standardisation was properly and effectively implemented.

The government should also act firmly against traders who profiteer from the scheme, she said.

“It is obvious the claims by some quarters including the opposition that the Barisan Nasional is unable to implement the price standardisation scheme are untrue.

“Now, what we buy in the peninsula, we can also buy in Sabah and Sarawak at the same prices,” she added.

Sook Bumiputera Hawkers Association chairperson Flora Joseph thanked Najib and the BN government for their concern for the people in the state, especially those in the interior who have had to bear high transportation costs due to the distance from Keningau, the nearest big town.

When tabling the 2103 Budget, Najib said the government would allocate RM386 million to open 57 more Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) outlets in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan. — Bernama