A Perak state legislative assembly member today brought out a dead chicken to protest high poultry prices.
Three hours into today’s meeting about welfare with 58 other members, Hulu Kinta representative Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad could be seen pulling the chicken out of his bag while taking over the mic at the legislative assembly meeting.
“For your information, before Dec. 7, poultry cost more than RM10 per kg. After the 7th, a new ceiling price was introduced for chicken, at RM9.35,” he said, grasping the dead bird by its neck. Poultry prices steadily grew from an average of RM7 per kilogram of chicken in April to RM10 in November.
“I am forced to bring this chicken here because nothing has been done about the rising prices of poultry,” he said, adding that the new pricing scheme meant to reduce grocery costs has done nothing to help the people except increase profits for sellers.
“The new price is decided from the price that has already increased,” Muhamad said, before putting the chicken back into his bag. A voice could be heard in the background telling him to cook rendang dry curry with it.
Malaysians who saw the footage online were amused.
“He’s so angry about the issue of poultry prices, he brought a chicken to the meeting,” Mohd Faizal Hassan said on Twitter, sharing a video of Muhamad holding up his animal prop.
Another person called him a “man of culture.”
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