KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the National Action Council on Cost of Living decided to continue intervention programmes through the Payung Rahmah initiative and Agro Madani Sales notwithstanding easing inflation in the country.

Anwar, who chaired the meeting, said this was in line with the government’s commitment to address rising cost of living for Malaysians.

"Government agencies such as the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and the Farmers’ Organisation Committee (LPP) has also been instructed to be more proactive to acting as distributors of local white rice, especially for areas rural areas to reduce difficulties people in such areas were having in obtaining rice,” he said in a statement today.

Anwar also said five policy papers related to cost of living issues were presented during the meeting, which also the price controls imposed on dressed chicken and chicken egg since last year.

"This is important to finalise the direction of the price controls in order to ensure the continuity of supply,” he said.

The PM said the committee also noted the possibility of supply disruptions to sugar locally unless interventions were taken, which he said would be among matters raised in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

Commenting on a controversy from last week over the possible imposition of merchant charges for the use of DuitNow QR payments, Anwar said the committee has received an explanation from Bank Negara Malaysia that the fee would be waived indefinitely.

Anwar reiterated that the focus of his unity government was to ease the cost-of-living burden on Malaysians, which he said would continue to drive the direction of his administration’s policies.

"I also call for all government agencies at the federal and state levels as well as non-government organisations to work together to ensure the well-being of the Madani Malaysian community continues to be strengthened.”