IPOH: Bukit Gantang member of parliament Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal is ready to lead the Special Meeting of the National Action Council on Cost of Living.
"I am ready to shoulder this responsibility, on the condition that I be given the power to tackle cost-of-living issues, to determine the prices of food items, and to engage with cartels.
"If (the prime minister) had hired me as a non-governmental organisation, I wouldn't have the power to do anything.
"But if he gave me the authority to check with the ministries involved, to check the stock of food and engage with cartels, god willing, I will show that the price of rice can be stabilised.
"Now the price is not stable and people are worried.
"The price of rice is RM40 and we can sell it at only RM32, but there are ways on how we can do this."
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim appointed Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz to lead the group.
Anwar, the Tambun member of parliament, said this while meeting people at the Madani Sale of Wet and Dry Food Items, where he also had a light breakfast at the Klebang Restu field.
Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz said he would prove to the people and the government that there were things that could be done to stabilise the prices of goods.
"What is crucial now is to stabilise the price of rice, followed by other food items.
"I have met the prime minister several times and presented modules where we can sell cheaper goods to the people without subsidies.
"The prime minister thought these modules could alleviate people's burden without giving them subsidies.
"What we see now is that when the prices of goods go up, subsidies are given. He (Anwar) wants to see if these modules work."