PETALING JAYA: The government should reconsider its decision to gradually withdraw price controls and subsidies for the egg production industry, says MCA vice-president Datuk Lawrence Low.
Low expressed concern over the complete removal of the RM0.10 subsidy per egg scheduled for Aug 1, warning it would increase monthly household expenses by RM15 for a family of five, based on an average consumption of one egg per person per day.
"The subsidies were introduced to cushion the impact of rising production costs following the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, which have caused import prices for corn and soybeans to soar.
"The government's claim that production costs have stabilised is simply unreasonable, given the continuing conflict and the uncertainties posed by the United States' retaliatory tariffs," he said on Wednesday (April 28).
Low said the government should be transparent if it is facing fiscal challenges due to national debt, which has reached RM45.3bil as of April 30.
"Should the citizens bear the burden of repaying the government's debt?
"Where has the revenue from the Sales and Service Tax, which rose from 6% to 8%, gone?
"And what about the income from newly introduced taxes, especially when the country has been receiving billions in foreign investments?" he questioned.
Low also raised concerns about the rapid increase in national debt and the apparent lack of solutions.
"Why has the national debt escalated so quickly, placing the burden on the public? Where are the solutions to these issues?" he said, adding that leaders from the Pakatan coalition would also raise similar concerns and criticisms if they were in opposition today.
The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry said on Wednesday the government has agreed to end the price control on chicken eggs and reduce the egg subsidy rate from RM0.10 to RM0.05 per egg, effective May 1, 2025.
The egg subsidy will be completely abolished on Aug 1, 2025.
