Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa should show a good example by not spreading fake news that the government is not removing subsidies for chicken, eggs and bottled cooking oil but instead increasing their value to help ease the burden of folk affected by the current price hikes. Annuar had said this one day after the announcement by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri of RM100 and RM 50 additional aid to B40 households and unmarried individuals amounting to RM630 million to aid those affected by removal of subsidies for chickens, eggs and cooking oil(except for 1kg packets).
Annuar’s claim that the government had decided to increase the subsidies’ value and review previous subsidies so the implementation will be more effective has no merit and is not supported by facts and figures. Even pro-government leaders had admitted that the removal of subsidies for chickens, eggs and cooking oil(except for 1kg packs) will save the government RM 960 million.
In saving RM 960 million but only giving out RM630 million in additional aid, saves the government RM330 million at the expense of the poor suffering from high prices. How then can Annuar claim that the government has decided to increase the subsidy value when RM 960 million worth subsidies for cooking oil(except 1kg packets) eggs and chickens are replaced by RM 630 million in additional aid?
Either Annuar just does not know how to do Maths or is indulging in spinning fake news?