SHAH ALAM, July 17: Currently, the increase in market prices of poultry, especially as the Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr) celebrations draw near, has made the people of Selangor restless because they feel burdened by the issue.
In fact, the suggestion of the Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism, Datuk Hassan Malek, for people to ‘change’ their appetites to other menus such as fish and beef in efforts to prevent the increase of poultry prices, cannot be accepted because the government should avoid the price hike.
A trader at the Selangor State Development Corporation Complex (PKNS), Johari Josi, 40, said that compared to other countries, Malaysians are among the largest populations that love and choose chicken as their food of choice.
“So, to boycott and change tastes to other foods is difficult for me. Before making a statement, I hope that the minister would ask or survey the public opinion.
“It seems as though there are parties taking advantage of this issue. I hope that the government will monitor the prices of chicken in addition to reducing it (prices) because soon, the Muslim community, with the majority of them being Malays, will be celebrating Aidilfitri, and surely would buy chicken in large quantities,” he told TVSelangor today.
A consumer from Sungai Buluh, Musral Dharno, 50, explained that the increased price of chicken is hard to accept and it puts pressure on the people to spend.
He said that the Federal Government must act quickly to tackle this problem before it becomes more difficult for the people.
“It burdens the people. I hope the price of chicken will reduce to normal. I am sure that other people are finding it hard to change their tastes to other foods. Even fish and beef prices are more or less expensive as well,” said the father of four.
A clothing trader, Nurul Abdul Rahman, 27, also concurred by saying that chicken is her favourite food.
“To switch to other foods is hard, it cannot be done. I must eat chicken.
“When prices go up, it becomes a burden. I hope that the prices will go down to normal, especially since the Aidilfitri is coming up. I think other people love chicken too, even ministers probably like it,” she said.
In a media report, Hasaan invited the people to ‘switch’ their appetites from eating chicken to other menus such as fish and beef in an effort to curb the rising prices of poultry.
He said that the move is deemed necessary because there are unscrupulous people out there who are taking advantage of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season by rising chicken prices arbitrarily.
Chicken prices previously were around RM6.50 to RM7.00, and it has jumped to over RM7.50; to RM8.00 to RM9.00.