KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah wants the government to implement price stabilisation and standardisation programmes continuously to prevent the people from continuing to be burdened by the cost of living.
His Majesty also asked the government to continue implementing goods distribution and enforcement programmes to ensure that the cost of daily necessities does not burden the people.
“I welcome the Buy Malaysian Products Campaign and the Malaysia Sales Programme initiatives to support the recovery of the domestic economy. These programmes are able to offer new sources of employment and income through the empowerment of the franchise industry and direct selling.
“Besides that, the implementation of the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) Sales Programme implemented nationwide enables the people to get essential goods at affordable prices. This effort is also in line with the aspiration to look after the welfare of the people, help reduce the cost of living and improve the living standards of the people,“ His Majesty said in opening the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament, today.
Meanwhile, His Majesty asked the government to focus on eradicating hardcore poverty by 2025 through integrated actions using various approaches.
“All parties must mobilise their energy and give a high commitment so that the living standards of the hardcore poor can be improved through a sustainable increase in income,“ said His Majesty.
In the meantime, Al-Sultan Abdullah also said that efforts to revive micro, small and medium enterprises and informal entrepreneurs affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent flood disaster in the country are critical.
He said special groups such as hawkers and petty traders, women, youths, graduates, the B40 (lower income) group, asnaf (the destitute) and those who lost their jobs should continue to be assisted through entrepreneurship guidance programmes and appropriate funding for survival.
“The digitalisation of operations will continue to be strengthened to help local entrepreneurs rise up again and contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of the people as well as the economic development of the country.
“The goal of building a nation of entrepreneurs and making Malaysia a superior entrepreneurial nation will be achieved through initiatives under the National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030,“ said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The King also decreed that focus should be given to the provision of better and quality rural infrastructure to ensure the well-being of the communities in rural areas.
His Majesty stressed that development and economic imbalances between income classes, regions and states as well as between ethnicities must be reduced to ensure that the country's prosperity is enjoyed by all fairly.
Al-Sultan Abdullah further stressed that the provision of conducive housing should be expanded through assistance for new construction and repair of dilapidated houses for the poor and less affluent as well as prioritising access to housing through more income-friendly initiatives.
On the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), His Majesty said that the 12MP Special Monitoring Committee should monitor the implementation and achievement of the Plan as best as possible to achieve the outcome targets and further meet socio-economic needs.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said the government's commitment to maintaining development as a national agenda was proven by the provision of development allocation for the Second Rolling Plan of the 12MP amounting to RM75.6 billion for the implementation of 6,749 programmes or projects.
“I urge that all the programmes and projects to be implemented be completed according to schedule and comply with the set quality standards in order to benefit the people,“ His Majesty said.-Bernama