KUCHING: Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen has urged for stable pork prices during this upcoming Chinese New Year season.
He urged the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government to help the pig farmers in addition to being more proactive in using its autonomy to assist the common Sarawak people.
He then brought up federal Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Chan Foong Hin’s recent announcement, in which he stated that after speaking with butchers and pig farmers as well as other stakeholders, everyone had agreed that the price of pork would not be raised before the Chinese New Year.
“Unfortunately, as Chan’s ministry has no jurisdiction over Sarawak, which enjoys autonomy in this aspect, such decisions and policies could not be applied in Sarawak.
“Sure enough, without the active intervention of the government, on Dec 31, 2022, it was revealed that the price of pork will be increased by another whopping RM3 per kg the following week!
“Much as the DAP federal Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security wishes to help, he is prohibited from doing so by the Sarawak autonomy in this matter,” said Chong in a statement today (Jan 1).
Having said that, he pointed out that he had raised the matter during the last State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
But, Chong asserted, the Modernisation of Agriculture Minister did not come up with any concrete solution.
“If Chan could, at least, stabilise pork prices in West Malaysia during the Chinese New Year season, there is no reason why the GPS government cannot do anything to help,” he stressed.
