2,000 complaints daily after SST implemented

KEPALA BATAS: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) receives about 2,000 complaints daily from the public since the implementation of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) last Sept 1.

Its minister Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said 50 per cent of the complaints were related to the price rates of food and beverage, just like during the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax.

“However, the complaints are sometimes not specific and I ask for the co-operation of the consumers to help the enforcers by channelling more comprehensive information to enable faster actions to be taken.”

“On the complaints on food and beverage prices, I have requested KPDNHEP to conduct checks more often by monitoring food and drink premises to solve the complaints,’’ he told reporters after launching the State Level SST Implementation and Enforcement Information Tour here yesterday.

Penang is the fifth state for the SST tour and it would be continued and would not only focus on government agencies but to give understanding to housewives, student and the whole society.

Saifuddin said the ministry was always committed to resolving complaints received from consumers and would take action on traders who were found to have raised prices at unreasonable rates.

“Every complaint sent in is seen and if it has basis, our enforcement will go down to see before taking action on the party concerned,” he said.

Meanwhile, during visits and observations of several large supermarkets throughout the country, he found that 30 items that were the main necessities of the people did not undergo price increases.

“Recently, I visited several supermarkets and from my observations I found that the prices of 30 major items such as oil, Milo, flour and disposable diapers did not go up,” he said. - Bernama