Haven't We Heard This Tale Before?

Bernama headlines: Prices Of Goods To Be Unaffected By Toll Rate Hike, Says Shafie.

The increase in toll rates next year will not affect the prices of consumer goods and services, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal said Tuesday night.

He said the ministry was constantly monitoring the prices of consumer goods to prevent any form of irregularity.

"Furthermore, the increase in the rate of inflation in the country was at a minimal level of 3.1 per cent," he told reporters after launching the 2006/2007 Fair Price Shop Awards and the Fair Price Shop Awards Directory, here.

The Fair Price Shop Awards Programme was introduced in 2003 to improve the source of income and quality of service of the trade and distribution sectors and make Malaysia a primary destination for shopping by tourists.

A total of 442 retailers nationwide have been recognized as fair price shops this year.

Earlier, in his speech, Shafie said he was happy with the increase in the number of retailers participating in the programme, from 180 in 2003 to 1,128 this year.

He said the ministry planned to place a guidebook listing the names of retailers who had won the fair price shop awards at strategic locations such as airports and LRT stations.

"This will help tourists to make a wise choice and enable them obtain value for money in their shopping," he said. ( Bernama)

***** Logically speaking how is it possible for prices not to rise in tandem with increase in toll rates? Have not the prices gone up at every possible opportunity? What kind of effective monitoring has the ministry done so far that has shown results? The last time around when there was a shortage of sugar all the minister and his ministry could do and did was to give excuses on behalf of the sugar barons and finally ended up sending shiploads of it to Sabah and Sarawak. So much for their monitoring.

Any increase in toll rates will definitely have an adverse effect on consumer prices and we shall soon see whether the minister's assurance has any value to it.
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