KOTA BARU, July 24 — The Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation is determined to keep inflation and food prices in this country at low rates, said its chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

The Communications and Multimedia Minister said the special task force took note that the country’s inflation had increased by 3.4 per cent in June.

"There is an upward trend (in inflation) and what’s important is that our special task force will continue to monitor so that there will be no uncontrolled increase in inflation.

"It means that the government will not let (inflation) rise...our task now is to control so that (inflation rate) is at a level of three per cent and for food items around five to six per cent,” he told reporters after attending the Keluarga Malaysia Sales Auction programme in conjunction with the Kelantan Keluarga Malaysia Aspirations (AKM) Tour at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium here today.

Annuar also assured that the special task force would make continuous efforts by implementing some drastic measures regarding inflation and it will be announced from time to time.

Annuar said engagement sessions with relevant parties needed to be held before any decision was made by the government in dealing with the rise in the inflation rate.

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Malaysia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 3.4 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to 127.4 in June 2022 from 123.2 in June 2021, surpassing the average inflation in Malaysia for the January 2011 to June 2022 period by 1.9 per cent, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said food inflation increased by 6.1 per cent and remained the main contributor to the rise in inflation during the month.

Meanwhile, Annuar said the data on the increase in inflation would be used as an indication that the establishment of the special task force was relevant now and even in the future. — Bernama