SHAH ALAM, Dec 24 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed him to form a new cost of living implementation and monitoring committee.

He said tackling the cost-of-living crisis is a priority for the unity government, and that the committee will ensure government programmes that help the people are introduced.

"The prime minister asked me to form a new cost of living implementation and monitoring committee, together with the relevant ministers and their ministries, to deal with the issue more effectively,” he said during a unity government luncheon at Sree Maha Kaliamman Temple here today.

Ahmad Zahid said the committee would see through other recent announcements related to the issue, such as the electricity tariff, petrol price and the cost of essential goods.

"I have worked with the ministers who oversee cost-of-living issues, along with the secretaries-general and directors-general, aside from other senior officers, to address this issue once and for all.

"As we can see in the last month alone, several announcements and changes have been made after the weekly Cabinet meetings and this will surely allow the public to breathe a sigh of relief,” he said.

Zahid said the federal administration has been taking steps to ensure the public always has food on the table.