33 violated Pahang price control scheme
KUANTAN: Failure to display pink price tags and selling items listed under the Festive Season Price-Control Scheme beyond the ceiling price have landed 33 traders here in trouble this year.
State Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism director Datuk Mark Ujin said its inspections found traders claiming that they did not display the pink tags because they were not informed about the price control scheme.
He said the traders, who were slapped with compounds, claimed they were in the dark about the scheme, which was launched by the government for the festive season.
He said the traders claimed that this was the reason they did not follow the price ruling or charged extra.
“We have identified 33 cases this year — 18 during Chinese New Year, 11 during Hari Raya Aidilfitri and four during the Ramadan — where the traders failed to display the pink tags for the gazetted items, while some increased the prices of items.
“The prices of the controlled goods are determined by the government and traders have to adhere to them.
“But, sadly, there are those who fail to do so.
“However, our enforcement team will conduct checks,” he said after launching the Christmas Festive Season Price Control Scheme here yesterday.
Mark said 11 types of goods had been listed under the scheme in conjunction with Christmas celebrations between yesterday and Wednesday.
He said the ministry had distributed around 1,000 pamplets about the scheme so that consumers could compare prices before making purchases.
He said those with information on traders who failed to display pink price tags or raised prices of controlled items could inform the ministry.
Those found guilty under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, can be fined not exceeding RM10,000 or compound of up to RM5,000.