BUTTERWORTH, Jan 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reminded all parties not to continue the cartel practices that burden the people through excessive price hikes across various sectors, including defence, healthcare, and construction.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the existence of cartels not only puts pressure on the public but also causes wastage of government funds, hindering efforts to improve public facilities and essential services.
“Do not rely on cartels that oppress the people by raising prices excessively in sectors such as defence, healthcare, and construction,” he said in his speech at the launch of a new block at Seberang Jaya Hospital, Perai today.
He added that cartel dominance in procurement systems and specific markets leads to unreasonable price increases, making it harder for the government to allocate additional funds for development projects such as building hospitals, clinics, and public facilities in other areas.
He also emphasised that the government is committed to implementing governance reforms, including strengthening transparency in procurement processes to ensure public funds are not wasted or misused. — Bernama
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