PUTRAJAYA: Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa held an engagement session with senior government officials to coordinate strategic communication in facing the challenges of global inflation and price hikes on Wednesday (July 6).
Among those present were Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, secretaries-general, heads of communication units and press secretaries of various ministries.
At the session, Annuar, who is also chairman of the Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation, also stressed the importance of strategic communication planning and implementation at all ministries to be done in a more integrated manner.
"We need to reduce communication silos and start moving together in an integrated manner,” he told reporters after attending the strategic communication engagement session with the senior government officials here.
On June 30, Annuar said the government, through the special task force, will strive to keep the inflation rate in Malaysia low and manageable to ensure the wellbeing of Malaysian families.
He said despite the inflation rates being on the rise across the world, Malaysia is still among the countries with the lowest rates, which is at 2.8%.
Annuar also said that information on the government’s approach and strategic decision to help the Malaysian families during the inflation and in facing the rising prices of goods should be widely disseminated so that the people know that the government cares.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had also pledged a high level of commitment to protecting the wellbeing and interests of the people, which was evident in the government’s decision to maintain the subsidy of RM4bil for cooking oil in 1kg packets this year.
In 2021, the cooking oil subsidies borne by the government amounted to RM2.2bil, while in 2020, RM500mil.
Yesterday, Ismail Sabri, who is currently in Turkey, said the government will ensure that any increase in the price of basic necessities due to world supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical conflict and climate change will not burden the people of Malaysia.
He said the government continued to provide subsidies for food and goods like chicken, cooking oil, petrol and diesel, which had exceeded RM77.7bil.
The government also maintained the electricity and water tariffs to protect the interests of Keluarga Malaysia by providing subsidies to the tune of RM5.8bil despite the sharp increase in the costs of fuel and other generation costs, he said. - Bernama
