by Gan Pei Ling, 27 Jan 2018 © The Malaysian Insight
RISING goods prices have hit semi-rural households hard, Amanah Bentong chief and former school principal Norhaizan Abu Hassan told the Pakatan Harapan state convention in Pahang today.
“As a housewife, we control and manage all household expenses, we are like the internal minister at home.
“We may not understand the 1MDB scandal fully and its long chronology but increasing petrol price, GST (goods and services tax) have made everything more expensive,” said the 59-year-old mother of five in Kuantan.
The former principal at SMK Tembangau, Triang said homemakers in semi-rural areas in Pahang are struggling to make ends meet as prices of rice, flour, cooking oil, sugar and other basic food items have increased since Barisan Nasional gradually removed their subsidies in 2010.
“Before this, I could buy 10kg of 3A rice for RM18, now it’s RM28.
“If before we can buy 5kg of cooking oil for RM13.50, now it’s RM23,” she said.
Norhaizan added she has received a lot of complaints from housewives in areas like Chemomoi, a Felda estate about an hour from Bentong town.
“Many of them are upset. They tell me they don’t know whether they should continue to support BN.
“A lot of housewives who sell nasi lemak or goreng pisang to supplement their household income are complaining they are not making money anymore.
“What they earn is just enough for them to cover their living costs, they cannot save for the future and their children,” Norhaizan told The Malaysian Insight on the sidelines of the convention.
She hopes Pakatan Harapan can return the subsidies on basic food items to relieve the people’s financial burden, especially for poor families.
“Please make sure basic food items are sold at stable and reasonable prices.”
Norhaizan spoke during a morning session allocated for representatives from various segments of society in Pahang to air their views and grouses at the PH state convention.
Other representatives include from the Orang Asli, varsity students, environmental NGOs and Felda.