Parents want milk for babies to be made a price controlled item

KUALA LUMPUR: Parents are urging the government to consider making baby formula a controlled item in order to curb recent price hikes.

They are concerned that the manufacturers' increase in prices would cause lower income parents to choose the cheapest and lowest quality milk in the market which would jeopardise their babies' growth.

A mother of two, housewife Azila Awaludin, 35, expressed her concern over the volatile prices of the products lately.

"My husband doesn't earn much and I'm forced to choose the cheapest milk for my baby," she told Bernama.

Father of one, Al-Hafiz Jaamat Wok, 27, felt the government needed to play a bigger role in controlling the hike in baby formula prices.

"The government should subsidise baby milk and not take this issue lightly as many parents are not able to cope with the extra expenses now," he said.

Wan Norasikin Abdul Cader, 42, who is a babysitter, said she had to spend an extra RM200 monthly just on baby formula alone.

"Supermarkets usually offer promotions on other items but never for baby formula," she added.

Meanwhile, a Jalan Kasipillay mini market owner, K. Sathiah, 43, explained that people were buying less baby formula since prices started going up recently.

"Most people have to choose the cheapest milk and we have to sell it lower than the suppliers' set prices. I hope the government can do something to control the situation," he said.

A media report on Friday said that some baby formula manufacturers had increased prices up to RM15 per kg in the past two weeks and others would follow suit soon.

It also quoted Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as saying the government did not control the prices of baby formula. - Bernama