Mat Sabu says MyCC will monitor chicken prices during festive season
Published on: Saturday, December 23, 2023
By: Malay Mail
Parti Amanah Negara president Datuk Seri Mohammad Sabu delivers a speech during the party’s national convention in Klang December 23, 2022. -— Picture by Malay Mail
KLANG: The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) is actively monitoring the price of chicken to guard against any attempt at fixing by chicken cartels, said Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
The minister of agriculture and food security, however, said he did not want to comment if cartels still exist in the system or if prices were being manipulated, but assured the public that MyCC and his ministry will work to stop it from happening.
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This comes after The Edge reported yesterday that a record-breaking fine of RM415.5 million had been imposed by MyCC on five feed millers, including Bursa Malaysia-listed companies Leong Hup International Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary Leong Hup Feedmill Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Malayan Flour Mills Bhd’s partially-owned Dindings Poultry Development Centre Sdn Bhd and PPB Group Bhd’s FFM Bhd, for colluding in a “chicken feed cartel” to fix poultry feed prices.
The report said the other companies involved were Gold Coin Feedmills (M) Sdn Bhd under Gold Coin Group and PK Agro-Industrial Products (M) Sdn Bhd under Charoen Pokphand Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, which in turn is a subsidiary of Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group Co Ltd.
“As far as the existence of cartels goes, I will leave it to the relevant agencies and ministries like the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and MyCC. If there is something serious happening, they will take action.
“We don’t want any manipulation to happen. As for my ministry, we will ensure there is enough eggs and chicken in the market at the right prices. As for the investigations, we are cooperating with all the relevant agencies to ensure our food security is intact.
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“As for the upcoming festive season, we usually do not see shortages during Christmas. Shortages only happen during Chinese New Year or Ramadan,” he said, adding that the country’s food supply is sufficient at present.
Amanah is currently holding its annual party convention and will choose a president, a deputy and three vice-presidents tomorrow.
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The convention is taking place over three days until Sunday and was graced by fellow coalition members like DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, Umno supreme council members Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir and ministers from PKR such as Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
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