Be aware of items under the price control — MCPA

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Consumer Association is reminding all consumers here not to be hesitant in lodging a complaint if they feel that an item they purchased or the service received was ridiculously priced.

“As a consumer, you have the right to reasonable pricing of goods. Do not be afraid to make an official complaint to the relevant local authorities or to any of the Malaysian Consumer Protection Association (MCPA) chapters in the country, particularly the Sabah Chapter for those in the state,” MCPA Sabah Chapter president, David Chan, stressed.

He said anti-profiteering is an activity covered by the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2010.

David said, it is a law that protects consumers from excessive profiteering, which means the act of charging consumers an unreasonable price with the intent of making as much profit as possible at a time or situation which gives the traders an advantage.

For example, David said, overcharging the price of chicken during festive seasons like Christmas, New Year, Hari Raya or Chinese New Year and overcharging for face masks during the haze season.

Aside from that, David said, under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, there are goods which are declared as controlled items.

“Be aware (consumers) of items which are under the price controlled items category so you won’t get conned into paying more than you have to, especially items like chicken, eggs and sugar are always put under the list of controlled good during festive seasons to protect consumers from traders who try to take advantage by increasing the prices of such items,” David stressed.

He said, the ceiling prices which have been set are always released right before the festive season, so consumers must always pay attention to the news to be aware of the ceiling price for the controlled goods.

“Traders are not allowed to charge higher than the ceiling price set by the government. Report immediately to the authorities if discrepancies are noticed,” David reiterated.

In another development, MCPA Sabah Chapter has described Wednesday night road accident involving an express bus that crashed at Km 86 of the Beluran-Telupid Road as sad and very unfortunate. In the aftermath of the road accident, five passengers were reported seriously injured while another 16 sustained minor injuries.

The association said that it is very important for road users to always observe road courtesy and that drivers must be physically and mentally fit when on the go.

“A slight human error can be fatal especially when making a long journey. It is also vital that the vehicles, particularly heavy duty ones like an express bus, are in tip-top condition when providing service to the public, the MCPA Sabah Chapter said in a statement.

David, therefore, suggested that local authorities like the Land Transportation Department conduct rigid inspection on the express buses and its drivers in their respective terminals before allowing to proceed on its the scheduled journey.

“If necessary, please conduct on-the-spot breathalyzer test and drug abuse test on all public utility drivers at the terminal apart from inspecting the condition of the vehicles at the terminal for obvious reason,” he stressed.

He said such measure is indeed necessary especially during festive seasons when the numbers of passengers/commuters would normally increase.

Local authorities should also ensure that the road conditions at various highways are closely monitored and repair works carried out without delay whenever the need arise.

On private vehicles, he reminded the drivers concerned to be cautious when on the road and to ensure they are physically and mentally fit to execute a long journey.

“If possible, private vehicle must have an alternative driver in case of emergency,” he added.