JOHOR residents are urging the Federal Government to address escalating prices of essential goods.
Assistant optometrist Abdul Hadi Shaari said the high cost of living should be on the agenda of Budget 2023.
“We have yet to see the prices of goods stabilise or come down despite several changes in the Federal Government,” he said.
Hadi says prices of essential goods have yet to come down.
Hadi, 47, lamented that prices of essential goods in Johor Baru were higher than in Kuala Lumpur because of the Johor capital city’s proximity to Singapore.
He said that while it was good for the local economy to have Singaporeans spending in Iskandar Malaysia, it had led to rising costs.
He pointed out that even the price of burgers at roadside stalls had increased, saying that he paid RM10.50 for a special chicken burger and an egg burger.
“I used to pay RM7 for both burgers. The stall operator told me that he might have to increase the prices again,” added Hadi.
Electrical store manager Jenny Chin, 38, said she hoped that the Federal Government would act fast and deliver solutions to stem escalating prices.
Chin suggests the government set up ‘fair price outlets’.
“The unity government should look into alleviating the hardship faced by the B40 and M40 groups,” she said.
Chin said prices of necessities started to go up during the Covid-19 pandemic and that Johor Baru’s proximity to Singapore had indirectly pushed up prices.
She suggested that the Federal and Johor governments set up more “fair price outlets”.
Retired civil servant A. Madhavan, 63, said the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry should take action to address this issue.
Madhavan says pensioners hope for good news in Budget 2023.
He said the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank had forecast that this year would be tough for many countries.
“We hope the Federal Government will announce additional incentives in Budget 2023,” he added.
Madhavan noted that young families and single people were struggling to pay their car and housing loans.
“Retired civil servants like me are also hoping to hear some good news in Budget 2023,” he added.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, is due to table the revised Budget 2023 on Feb 24.
