Oman’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Al Khalili on Thursday urged the government to control the prices of essentials to help people meet the cost of living.
Sheikh Ahmed, who has served as Oman's most senior cleric for a record 46 years, wrote on Twitter that many people are struggling with high prices.
“I appeal to the wise government to intervene and look into the rise in the prices of essential goods to help consumers meet their cost," he said. "People need to meet their urgent requirements, and easing prices is important to the security of looking after their families.”
Sheikh Ahmed rarely makes public political statements, and the message resulted in 10,000 responses and interactions from his 252,000 followers.
“He is our hero for representing us in this subject," Muneer Al Habsi, 46, an Omani civil servant, told The National.
"Yes, prices have slowly been increasing since the pandemic has started and no one is doing anything about it but providing lip service only. We are very grateful to Sheikh Ahmed for highlighting the rising price problem,”
In April, Oman's state-controlled Consumer Protection Authority told businesses not to increase prices under the cover of the value added tax (VAT) introduced that month. The government VAT fixed at five per cent.
Newly-married Omanis said prices rises are putting pressure on their limited finances.
“Shops and supermarkets do not listen to anybody, not even the Consumer Protection Authority," said 27-year old Moosa Al Maskeri, who was married in March. "I am happy that Sheikh Ahmed is now our voice in this problem.
“I am sure the government will listen to him and start to mobilise inspectors to punish business owners who are taking advantage of the [coronavirus] pandemic and the VAT.”
It is not only grocery bills that have gone up. Oman removed fuel subsidies in 2016 and petrol prices at filling stations have increased by nearly a third since then.
In January, the sultanate removed utility subsidies, sending water and electricity bills up by about 20 per cent.
The rise in those charges hit expatriates hardest, as Omanis who own and live in their houses are exempt from the increases.
“I am really stretched with the new situation of VAT, higher fuel costs and removal of utility subsidies. My salary is constant but everything has gone up in price. It is very hard for me to meet costs at the moment,” said Dawood Ahmed, 42, an Egyptian who lives in Muscat.
“I am really happy to know that Sheikh Ahmed is appealing on our behalf. God bless him.”
Shop owners, while admitting to putting up their prices, said inflation is normal.
“Yes, I increased prices beyond the 5 per cent VAT level,” Soud Al Harthy, 36, owner of a fruit and vegetable shop in Seeb, Muscat, told The National.
“Why? Because my suppliers have increased what I buy from them. I cannot keep prices constant when my business bills are going up, including the rent of my shop. Besides, inflation is a normal adjustment in consumerism, and I don’t know why people are moaning about it because the current hike in prices is reasonable.”
The government has not responded to the Sheikh Ahmed's appeal.
Consumers said the increase in prices in the last two years has been noticeable.
“ For example, a kilogram of carrots cost about 500 baizas ($1.3) two years ago but now it is 625 baizas, which is a quarter more. In general, the price of food has gone up between 15 to 25 per cent on most items,” Mr Al Maskeri, said.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Jawan
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Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
SPECS
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Dubai World Cup nominations
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Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
RESULTS
5pm: Watha Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Dalil De Carrere, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Pharitz Al Denari, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mahmood Hussain
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Oss, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Almajhaz, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Lewaa, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud.