The Government has set seven key objectives to be carried out in its socio-economic development plan next year. One of these objectives is to "improve living conditions, reduce poverty and generate jobs for the people". To realise this goal, poor and ethnic people have pinned high hopes on the socio-economic development programme for disadvantaged areas (programme 135).

Market experts have predicted that the price of goods on the domestic market will keep rising significantly in December- the last month of the year. Price hikes in essential goods such as food and foodstuffs will have a great impact on the domestic market. Therefore, it is imperative to launch price control measures.