KUALA LUMPUR (June 9, 2010): Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have given their full support for price control on sugar by the government to ensure adequate supply for consumers.
 
Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) advisor Prof Hamdan Adnan said the move would ensure that the commodity was available to all consumers in the country.
 
"Our sugar price is the cheapest in the region. If the commodity is not controlled, I fear wholesalers or retailers would take the opportunity to raise its price when there are talks of subsidy reduction, smuggling and so on," he said when contacted by Bernama, here today.

He was commenting on the report by a local English newspaper yesterday on the shortage of sugar faced by consumers and wholesalers in several states.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday announced that the government would increase the supply of sugar by five percent to all wholesalers and retailers nationwide beginning this month.

The price of sugar was raised by 20 sen per kilo to RM1.65 in peninsular Malaysia and RM1.75 in Sabah and Sarawak in January.
 
The secretary of the Malaysian Muslim Consumer Association (PPIM), Datuk Paduka Nadzim Johan said the government's move could prevent price increases by retailers, besides educating the community on the need to reduce excessive sugar consumption.
 
"The association has been supporting the price control on sugar by the government right from the start as we fear the traders would increase the price arbitrarily," he said. -- Bernama