Cost of Living concerns brought up during convention to be looked into

12 November 2023

By AVV

PENAMPANG: The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) convention held today saw the heads of UPKO divisions in Putatan, Penampang, and Kota Kinabalu sharing their opinions and visions regarding the party's future and its role in national governance.

They emphasised the importance of advocating for the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and prioritising the welfare of the people, with specific focus on addressing the rising cost of living.

UPKO President Datuk Ewon Benedick, who is also the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives said these crucial matters, where suitable for discussion in the cabinet, will be presented as his input.

“Issues related to the cost of living, for instance, have become a recurring agenda in almost every cabinet meeting. At the ministry level, I have brought up the topic of the Cooperative Movement's role in facilitating the transportation of essential goods between the peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak. This involves maritime transportation connecting major cities in Sabah to rural areas.

“To strengthen the cooperative movement, I have proposed allocating funds to cover transportation costs, including for goods moving between the Peninsula and Sabah/Sarawak. Through this allocation, consumer goods sold by cooperatives in rural and village areas will be priced equivalently to those in urban areas. This measure specifically pertains to the cooperative movement.”

“The cabinet has agreed for me to present more detailed information, and after several ministerial discussions, we have finalised the specifics. I will present these details to the cabinet for the Prime Minister's consideration in the upcoming meeting.

"My aim is to bolster the cooperative movement through allocations of funds, ensuring uniform prices for basic necessities in cooperatives across urban and rural areas, as well as between Sabah, Sarawak, and the peninsula,” he said.

He said he was asked to present the proposals with the mechanism for implementation.