Millions spent on councils but are they effective, asks Umno Youth chief

PETALING JAYA: An Umno leader has asked if the various councils set up to chart the nation’s recovery and counter price hikes of goods are having the desired effect despite the government spending millions on them.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the objectives of these panels seemed to be overlapping that of several related ministries and the special jihad task force to fight inflation.

“Under these circumstances, what exactly are the roles of all these councils and task forces that seem to be have overlapping objectives?” he asked in a Facebook post today.

He was referring to the National Recovery Council, Economic Action Council, the National Action Council on Cost of Living, and the newly formed jihad task force to fight inflation.

Asyraf said without a stable and competent government, it would be an uphill battle to resolve the problem of price hikes.

“These measures will only work if the country has a stable government. If this coalition government continues to be seen as a shaky one, industry players and investors would ignore these measures.”

He said the jihad task force on inflation should focus on strengthening the ringgit, ensure an adequate supply of cooking oil in 1kg polybags, combat hoarding, and ramp up investment in the production of animal feed and fertilisers in the country.

This task force is chaired by communications and multimedia minister Annuar Musa.

Its members are finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, agriculture and food industries minister Ronald Kiandee, domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed and chief secretary to the government Zuki Ali. — Free Malaysia Today