Do we need a cost of living minister?

Cheap eats: The Menu Rahmah initiative by the late Salahuddin was a popular move but experts say it isn’t sustainable in dealing with the increasing cost of living. Meanwhile, the Cabinet post that deals with the matter remains vacant. — Filepic/The Star

SOONER or later, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will announce who will fill the vacant Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister post.

It did not happen on Friday, as speculated, when Anwar was seen entering Istana Negara.

Following his audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, Anwar was asked if he had discussed a Cabinet reshuffle and replied with this: “I had a weekly meeting with the King. On that matter, maybe. But it is not urgent because only one post is vacant.”

The post of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living minister became vacant after Pulai MP Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub passed away on July 23 due to a brain haemorrhage.

Urgent or not, it is a matter of perception.

The Prime Minister, it seems, is confident that the ministry in charge of the cost of living – a matter that is of huge concern to the people – is in good hands under Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali of the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions). The Papar MP has temporarily taken over the portfolio; Armizan’s deputy is Fuziah Salleh.

On Sept 21, Fuziah’s special officer lodged a police report about a viral video about the price of goods involving her.

The deputy minister was reported as saying that a video she had made several months ago had been taken out of context. The footage showed her purchasing groceries for RM136.30 and saying she was satisfied that the bill was below RM200.

After years of being in the Opposition, the PKR politician should realise that using logic to explain an emotional issue such as barang naik (price increase) is not a clever way to address the rakyat’s concerns.

It was the same when Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli told Malaysians to cook at home as their “addiction” to eating out results in a decrease in income. Rafizi argued that those eating out became more sensitised to a sudden increase in cooked food prices, even though core inflation has decreased. The Economy Minister’s statement about our “addiction” was based on household expenditure and income in the past 20 years.

The problem is, the rakyat wants solutions from ministers rather than complicated explanations of the problems. Besides, many don’t have a choice about eating out.

My friends in the food industry have been fuming over Rafizi’s remark. They told me that they are suffering because the price of goods has generally gone up, and while local white rice is subsidised and its price has not increased, they have to buy imported white rice as Malaysian-grown rice could not be found – and the price of that has increased by 36%.

Once again, logic doesn’t help people feeling the pinch of the rise in the cost of living. And that worry is compounded by their perception that the government is not serious about the problem because the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living minister’s post has remained vacant since July.

Some feel that there should be a Cabinet reshuffle regardless. That opinion is also coming from within Anwar’s administration. Call it friendly fire.

Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi posted on Facebook that Rafizi should be reassigned as Tourism Minister if there is a Cabinet reshuffle.

He wrote that the Economy Minister has failed to offer any “extraordinary formula” to assist with the people’s economic situation.

“Rafizi should be among the ministers whose portfolios need to be changed if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reshuffles the Cabinet,” he said.

“Rafizi [has] failed to offer an extraordinary formula for the people’s economy. [His] only formula [is for people to] cook and eat at home, which are normal [measures].”

If I were the Prime Minister, I would name a non-politician as the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister.

Mydin Mohamed Holdings Berhad managing director Datuk Wira Ameer Ali Mydin makes sense when he talks about the rising cost of living.

For example, Ameer predicted that Menu Rahmah would not be sustainable if supply costs increased. The Mydin boss warned that the government must come up with a more robust solution to cost of living pressure.

Some businesses have stopped offering Menu Rahmah, an initiative begun to provide balanced meals for RM5 or less by the late Salahuddin in January this year.

Those who have dropped out said they could no longer absorb the rising costs of essential food items.

Ameer had predicted such an eventuality. It was common sense, actually.

Let’s hope the next Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister can control the – perceived or not – rise in the cost of living. I wonder if he/she eats home-cooked food or is addicted to eating out?