KUALA LUMPUR: Not only Malaysians but foreigners living here are also benefiting from the subsidies allocated by the government to address the high cost of living, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Prime Minister said the government had come up with immediate short, medium and long term plans to address such issues including subsidies to stabilise the price of chicken.
"The government is aware of the people’s struggles and the immediate short-term step we took was to subsidise chicken prices.
"When we provide the chicken subsidy, not only are our children and grandchildren enjoying it but even the foreigners here are enjoying it," he said in his address at the Malaysian Trades Union Congress triennial delegates conference on Saturday (July 2).
"We are actually paying a subsidy of RM1.40 per kg of chicken.
"Even the big 'towkays' and owners of fancy restaurants that we don't go to are buying the subsidised chicken,” Ismail Sabri said while noting that the government had spent nearly RM700mil on subsidies.
He said if the government floated the price of chicken, it could go up to RM11 and RM12 per kg.
"I don't think the rakyat can accept such a drastic hike," he added.
On a separate matter, Ismail Sabri said despite some objections from employers on the enforcement of the increased minimum wage, the government was firm with the implementation to ensure that workers were paid according to the new rate.
He said the government had decided to reject all suggestions and excuses against raising the minimum wage to RM1,500 as the current state of the economy calls for workers to have a higher income.
"With the way our economy is now, it would be impossible for employees to even survive, much less live comfortably, on a salary of RM1,200," he said.
