KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — A Muslim consumer group today urged the public to stop going to shops that maintain high prices, amid the clamour for businesses to bring down retail prices to reflect the drop in fuel costs.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) head of activism Datuk Nadzim Johan asked consumers to exercise their power and only frequent outlets like 1Malaysia stores, Mydin and MyHero Hypermarkets that have reduced the price of their goods.

“If you’re going to see a doctor, go to a doctor that agreed to reduce prices, if you’re buying goods go to those that have reduced prices,” Nadzim said at a press conference here, which was also attended by representatives from Mydin, MyHero hypermarket and several NGOs.

Mydin managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin said, however, that it was the responsibility of suppliers and manufacturers to reduce the prices of goods as the retailers are not the ones who have been indiscriminately raising prices.

“If the manufacturer and suppliers reduce their prices, then we can also reduce our prices,” Ameer said.

“We have over 2,500 suppliers and only two have reduced their prices. Where are the rest?” he asked.

Ameer added that if suppliers do not reduce prices, they would unlikely do so even once the Goods and Services Tax (GST) kicks in this April.

“If they’re not telling us now, there is no way they’ll come tell us this March. They are just milking the country,” he said.

The Islamic Doctors Association (PERDIM) said today that it has also jumped on the cost-cutting bandwagon and is offering a 10 per cent discount for medication at all of its members’ private clinics.

“We’ve asked our members to reduce 10 per cent from medicine and injection, we will give a reduction overall,” PERDIM president Datuk Dr. Ahmad Shukri said.

“And I ask those related to this cause to join us so that we can see and maybe can give support and maybe reduce their prices,” Ahmad added, urging other businesses to follow suit.

Today’s press conference comes following the federal government’s announcement recently that power tariffs will be slashed between three and five per cent effective March 1 this year, amid significant savings by Tenaga Nasional Berhad due to the sharp drop in fuel prices.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Maximus J. Ongkili said the tariff would be cut by 2.25 sen or 5.8 per cent for Peninsula Malaysia based on an average of five categories of volume of usage.

Power rates will go down by an average of 1.20 sen or 3.5 per cent in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan.