KUALA LUMPUR (March 19): The National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) agreed on Tuesday to allow the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) to develop new indicators to measure the cost of living standards down to the district level.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who chaired Tuesday’s meeting held at Parliament building, said that the new indicators would assist the government to draft a more accurate and effective programme implementation.

He added that NACCOL also discussed several matters related to cost of living in detail, especially prices and the availability of rice in the country.

“Several short-term mechanisms have been identified and will be implemented soon,” he posted on Facebook on Tuesday, adding that he had stressed the need for continuous enforcement to ensure no one would take advantage of the enlargement of scope and the change in service tax rates implemented on selected services.

“The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has conducted several special checks under Ops Kesan from March 1 to ensure businesses do not raise prices indiscriminately,” he added.