BUTTERWORTH, January 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the greed of cartels has directly burdened Malaysians by inflating prices across key sectors, affecting the cost of living and wasting public funds.
Welcoming recent investigations that have exposed cartel activities, he said the country must not rely on cartels for procurement in defence, healthcare and public works, as their dominance leads to exorbitant pricing and undermines efforts to improve essential services.
Speaking at the launch of a new block at Hospital Seberang Jaya, Anwar said the government remains committed to governance reforms and greater transparency in procurement to prevent misuse of public funds. Citing the dismantling of the chicken cartel.
alaWhich saved the government up to RM1.2 billion in subsidies, he stressed that integrity in procurement—especially in the defence sector—is crucial to protect public interest, maintain institutional credibility and ensure national resources deliver maximum benefit to the people.
