Hamzah: No increase in prices of basic necessities

KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the Prophet Muhammad saying that prices of goods should be determined by the free market, the Government vows not to burden the people with an increase in the price of basic necessities.

Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said the issue of price increases have occurred since the days of Prophet.

Hamzah said based on a hadith (a narration of an event of the life of the Prophet), the people had come to the Prophet and asked for his help to control the prices of things for them.

Hamzah, who is also Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister, said the hadith had shown that the Government's action in not interfering with the free market was similar to that of the Prophet.

"However, for the attitudes and justice required in Islam, the president of the party agrees that the prices of basic necessities of goods are not raised," said Hamzah, in his winding-up speech at 2017 Umno general assembly at Putra World Trade Centre on Saturday.

He said the prices of basic necessities, including sugar, flour, cooking oil, rice and cooking gas, would still be controlled so the people will not feel burdened amid rising cost of living.

He added that the Government is already taking measures in its fight against middlemen who are said to be deliberately increasing prices.