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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright January 2023
We have come to a point where when all measures failed, we are told to just accept things as they are or look for other alternatives. Or when we have no influence over a decision, we'll have to ignore the phenomenon and maybe, just maybe, it'll go back to normal again soon enough.
I am feeling this sense of social alienation from our own government that does not seem to give me a satisfactory answer on the price of chickens or how to influence decisions that are beyond our control. And I am not alone. There are many more people who feel like I do.
We are now disconnected from the social values, norms, practices, and social relationships found in our society for a variety of socio-structural reasons, including the economy.
My friends and I are the ones who are experiencing "social alienation." That means we do not "share the common, mainstream values of society, are not well integrated into society, its groups and institutions, and are socially isolated from the mainstream." Perhaps because we are older than some of the ministers who are dishing our advice that we seldom hear from former, more seasoned ministers.
In fact, we are put off by some in the current cabinet who appear to tell us to turn around, walk away and forget about the restaurant prices which do not seem to respond to the actual cost of raw materials that the ministers claimed are dropping in the market place.
It seems that we have arrived at a crossroads when the government tells us to just walk away from our simple pleasures like eating chickens or going to a restaurant because the prices are high.
I feel dejected. That's more than just disappointed with a government that only tells its people to walk away when faced with high prices while they said we shouldn't rely on politicians to help. We cannot find alternative to chickens for example because there isn't any.
So, we'll have to wait until prices of chickens go back to what they were. And they did.
Recently, a cabinet minister told us to "boycott" a restaurant if its prices were high. But is a responsible action? Is boycotting the only answer to our problem of high prices?
On the other hand, former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that asking people to "boycott" restaurants with high prices will not ultimately help the public.
"This kind of statement will not help the rakyat but only burden businesses. If prices of raw materials increase, obviously restaurants will also increase their prices. If we boycott them, we will inconvenience them."
"By right, if traders buy raw materials at a high cost, the government must ensure that the prices of these products can be reduced. This way, the businesses can sell food at a cheaper price to the public. That’s the best solution."
He was referring to a young minister on the cabinet who denounced the attitude of certain restaurant and food operators who are reluctant to lower their prices despite the falling cost of raw ingredients. In addition, the young minister said the public should avoid going to restaurants that maintain these supposedly high prices. He also said that consumers should take proactive action in influencing the prices of businesses, instead of leaving it all up to the politicians.
What is the real role of the government then if it merely washes its hands off any issue and punish restaurant operators, for instance, by asking the rakyat to boycott those reluctant to reduce prices in tandem with the falling cost of raw materials in the market?
Ismail Sabri who led the previous government acted responsibly by banning export of chickens when the price skyrocketed. He allowed producers to resume export only when prices stabalised or returned to its original prices before the hike.
Maybe Ismail Sabri is a more seasoned politician who did not wash off his hand over issues that affected the public at large. He did not ask us the rakyat to picket against chicken farmers. Instead he negotiated with them and his government acted responsibly by finding an acceptable solution without alienating the general public.
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