KUALA LUMPUR: The public has been urged to boycott consuming chicken for a month to put an end to the skyrocketing price of the birds.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said the public had been at the mercy of chicken price manipulators for too long.
"It's time to turn the tables and show them the power of the consumers."
"If we do not do this, the cartels and middlemen will continue to take us for a ride."
He said chicken and egg were the cheapest and most widely available sources of animal protein hence their prices were sensitive to manipulation.
"If Malaysian consumers are unwilling to change their consumption patterns and look for other sources of protein we are going to have serious food shortage issues."
"I'm sick of begging the government to ensure that food is available in the market. This crisis is never-ending and it has only just been compounded by the war, inflation and climate change. But if consumers unite to boycott chicken, they can send a strong message to those responsible for the shortage," he added.
The government previously set the ceiling price of standard chicken at RM8.90 per kg, however traders claimed that the birds were supplied to them at RM8.70 per kg, making it impossible to cover cost.
On Monday Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced several short-term solutions to deal with the rising prices and shortage of chicken in the country.
He said the government would halt the exports of 3.6 million chickens a month beginning June 1, 2022 until chicken prices and stock in the country stabilise.
He also announced the government would look into creating a buffer stock of chicken and optimising cold storage facilities owned by Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry.
Earlier the prime minister also announced that they would abolish approved permits (AP) of poultry to increase opportunities for the involvement of importers to provide more sources of supply, simplify the subsidy claim process for chicken farmers, and increase the number of slaughterhouses abroad to increase the supply of chicken.
The Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC) had also been tasked to probe the supply shortages and is expected to complete their report in June. Ismail said legal action would be taken if a cartel or a number of cartels were found to be behind the chicken and egg supply woes that has been ongoing in Malaysia since the onset of 2022.