The Riyadh-based Al-Jazeera dealt with a local topic and said the prices of commodities and services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are still high despite the fact that the global financial crisis has caused the decline of prices in various countries of the world. The daily inquired about the causes of the continuation of the unjustified high prices of the commodities, noting that the cost of living during the last month of January increased by two percent compared to December 2008. Comparing the cost of living in January 2009 with January 2008, the paper said "We find that the prices of commodities jumped by 7.9 percent." The merchants attribute the hike in prices of the commodities to rise of prices in the exporting countries, in other words they should not be held responsible for the continuation of the high prices, the daily said. The daily urged the society of the protection of the consumers and the commerce ministry to shoulder their responsibility in this respect and to punish the merchants who insist on selling their commodities with higher prices. "Nothing can justify the existence of the high prices of the commodities because the world is facing an economic crisis and stagnancy".--MORE www.spa.gov.sa/637995