Traders have social obligation to cut price, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today that the traders should voluntarily lower the prices of goods in line with the drop in the fuel retail prices without waiting for the government to act.

"It is their social obligation," the prime minister told reporters after attending the closing of the Merdeka Spirit Programme 2008 and the opening of Akademi Kenegaraan at the National Civics Bureau in Jalan Bellamy here.

Yesterday Abdullah announced a reduction of 15 sen in the price of petrol to RM2.30 a litre and 20 sen to RM2.20 for a litre of diesel, effective today.

Abdullah also took a swipe at some consumer associations for leaving it to the government to monitor and overcome the problem of high prices of goods without lifting a finger to help.

"They don't do anything and this is something that should not have happened. If these consumer associations want the government to supervise the prices of essential goods, they should cooperate with the government," he said.

He said the consumers associations were very powerful and they should use that power to teach their members how to handle traders who sell goods at high or unreasonable prices.

Asked whether he was advocating that consumers boycott traders who charge exorbitant prices for essential goods, he said it was up to the consumers because "we cannot teach them what to do."

He gave an assurance that the government would take action against traders who quoted excessively high or unreasonable prices for their goods but said that it needed the cooperation of consumers.

The prime minsiter also said that he had instructed the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad to meet the representatives of consumer associations to discuss the matter.

Asked whether reducing the fuel prices in stages or a little at a time had made it difficult for traders to make adjustments to the prices of essential goods, he said the government had decided to lower the fuel prices according to what was happening in the international market.

"I hope that the people will understand and work with the government in this matter," he said.

He also advised them to grow their own food like vegetables in efforts to overcome the increase in the prices of goods. – Bernama