KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has expressed its approval of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living initiative to involve experts from the university in a special committee aimed at stabilising the prices of essential goods in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan.
Dr Dzul Hadzwan Husaini, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, highlighted the significance of this step, stressing that economic issues in Sabah and Sarawak differ from those in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Sabah and Sarawak are covered with many areas categorised as rural and inland, with inefficient and ineffective road infrastructure connecting residents of rural areas, including cities.
“This constraint is evident in Sabah and Sarawak, resulting in a significant difference in the price of goods between interior and rural areas (higher) compared to the cities,” he explained to Suara Sarawak on Monday (Dec 18).
The ministry announced the inclusion of experts from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Unimas in a special committee to address essential goods’ price stability in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the universities in these regions house experts in the local economy capable of providing relevant insights.
Dzul Hadzwan added that the university’s experts would contribute to a better understanding of the cost of living in rural and inland areas.
“This is one of the paradoxes that needs to be understood deeply to unravel the best way to overcome the cost-of-living problem in Sabah and Sarawak.”
He welcomed the move, noting that only the people of Sabah and Sarawak truly understand their needs and challenges.
He stressed the importance of granting economic policy autonomy to these states, allowing them to determine wealth distribution patterns and address unique constraints.
“Therefore, we at Unimas are looking forward to the development of this matter so that we can be closely involved in the framework of upgrading the lives of the local community.”
