The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has given an assurance that the issue of rising prices and shortage of chicken supply in the market will be resolved within the next two weeks. Deputy Minister, Datuk Rosol Wahid, said his ministry together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) had held a meeting last week, to find a solution to the issue which was said to be happening in several areas. According to him, among the solutions discussed included to import chicken supplies from abroad, to overcome the shortage of supply in the local market as well as stabilize the price. “Now the problem is not only the price hikes, but I understand, for example in my state of Terengganu, many shops do not have chicken supply. We are concerned about this problem, so our ministry together with MAFI will overcome this problem, "he said. There has been reports recently on rising chicken prices occuring in larger cities with no apparent reason for the hikes. Having just reopened its borrders, Malaysia is trying to recalibrate itself after the prolonged lockdowns. While things were stable during the lockdown, the food supply industry is facing sudden shock for goods demand as restaurants reopme accpeting dine-ins. Now, even cooking oil supply is currently at low inventory, this situation was admitted by the Minsitry on the shortage of supply in the market was due to suppliers not being able to produce oil and due to not receiving payment from the government. Its clarified, that cooking oil producers or suppliers who produce cooking oil depend on the payment as working capital, to continue to produce packaged cooking oil. "We will find a solution with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to settle the payment to the cooking oil producer, regarding the cooking oil subsidy, the MOF will channel the funds to us and we will channel the funds to the suppliers," he said. Meanwhile, Rosol said KPDNHEP had extended the period until Wednesday for the owner of a restaurant here that sells sea bass worth RM1,196, to provide an explanation to the ministry on the price of food sold there. On Nov 6, a picture of food price receipts, especially a 7.48 kilogram sea bass dish priced at RM1,196, was spread on social media.
