Chicken imports: Which cronies will get additional permits, asks Harapan Youth

Pakatan Harapan Youth has questioned the logic behind a plan by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to increase import permits for chicken, which was aimed at controlling the livestock market price during festive seasons.

This came after Deputy Minister Rosol Wahid spoke about the plan yesterday, on the same day Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi announced the implementation of the 2021 Aidilfitri Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMMP), which begins tomorrow (April 21) until May 20.

The scheme sees the price of raw chicken meat fixed at RM7.90 per kilogramme.

"The deputy minister yesterday said that they are discussing with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries to increase the number of import permits for chickens to boost supply.

"But we are puzzled. What is the need for this increase of import permit after they have announced the price control scheme?

"Even if it is a two-pronged approach to solve the issue of the current price hike, wouldn't this process to add more permits take time when Hari Raya Aidilfitri is coming in three weeks?" Harapan Youth chief Shazni Munir Ithnin said in a statement today.

Malaysia recently saw sudden increases in raw chicken meat price, which saw one kilogramme of the meat went up to RM9.50 in some states.

Nanta had told the media yesterday the price hike was caused by an increase in costs of imported chicken feed, among other things.

Shazni also raised another question over the plan to increase the number of chicken import permits, claiming that it could be abused to give opportunities to "cronies" through shortcuts.

"If we look carefully from the perspective of procedures and processes, increasing the number of permits would take time, especially with the government now only at the stage of discussion between ministries. If proper procedures are followed, the chickens might only arrive in the country after Hari Raya.

"If the minister involved is successful in setting aside these procedures by awarding the permits directly, it raises a more critical question - which cronies would get the permits through this shortcut?

"Wouldn't this situation add to the already bad perception on #KerajaanGagal?" he said.

Malaysiakini has reached out to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for a response to Shazni's statement. - Mkini

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