PUTRAJAYA, Aug 13 — Today’s 18th Executive Committee meeting of the National Cost of Living Action Council (NACCOL) conducted an in-depth review of the local white rice roadmap, which includes a transitional framework to cushion the impact on vulnerable groups.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who chaired the meeting, said tackling the cost of living must go beyond supermarket shelf prices to address production costs, supply chains, access to nutritious food, healthcare and education costs, and support for vulnerable groups.

“To address this, the meeting closely reviewed the path forward for local white rice, focusing on balancing the needs of consumers with the survival of local farmers and producers.

“Among the key proposals is a soft-landing transition via subsidised rice, aimed at safeguarding vulnerable households before broader policy changes take effect,” he said in a statement.

Ahmad Zahid said the meeting also agreed to propose expanding the scope of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid to include fresh produce, such as fruits, vegetables, and fresh protein, for consideration at the main NACCOL meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“This is an important step to ensure government support goes beyond helping people’s spending power to actively improving access to healthier diets,” he added.

The government is taking cost pressures on business, logistics, and agriculture seriously, he said, including the impact of geopolitical developments, uncertainty in West Asia, import compliance costs, and subsidy rationalisation on food production expenses.

“Continuous monitoring of global geopolitical risks, volatility in West Asia, regulatory compliance expenses for imports, and the effects of targeted subsidies on agricultural production costs is essential to prevent these factors from leading to inflationary pressures on consumers,” he stated.

He said relevant agencies had also been asked to refine existing mechanisms, including targeted assistance for farmers, fishermen, and affected groups.

On healthcare, Ahmad Zahid said the meeting reviewed the rollout of 11 Reset strategy initiatives designed to keep private healthcare costs in check while improving access and expanding treatment options for the public.

He noted that this measure aligns with the government’s integrated framework under the Cost of Living Action Plan 2030, which aims to address living expenses across multiple sectors in a coordinated manner rather than through piecemeal actions.

Meanwhile, the government remains committed to keeping education affordable so that cost never stands in the way of developing talent, he said.

“Based on a mapping of 13 tertiary education aid schemes, 62,937 Form Six and university students received assistance last year, amounting to RM589.6 million.

“Such support needs to be reinforced to ensure every child, regardless of background, gets a fair chance at higher education,” he said. — Bernama