Ministry prepares contingency plan for flood season

PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has prepared a Contingency Plan to Govern Supply of Controlled Items and Basic Necessities During Disasters as a proactive measure to face this year’s flood season.

The ministry’s enforcement director Datuk Iskandar Halim Sulaiman said that the plan aims to ensure that supply of basic necessities was sufficient and not disrupted during the flood season, which is expected to start next month.

“The proposed measures to be implemented through this contingency plan will begin in early November,” he said in a statement yesterday.

One of the preparation measures to be carried out by the ministry’s Enforcement Division is to activate Enforcement

Command Centres in affected states.

He said that the division would also intensify inspection and monitoring activities of the food supply chain at the manufacture, wholesale and retail levels.

Besides that, the Enforcement Division would also allow up to a 30 per cent additional storage limit for controlled items and basic necessities for selected wholesalers and retailers, and hold engagement sessions with manufacturers, importers and other government agencies involved in disaster management.

The ministry would distribute food items to targeted groups via the Food Bank programme, he added.

Iskandar Halim said that action would be taken against any parties who hide, refuse sale, impose sale conditions or commit any offence under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

This includes offences under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 such as profiteering or selling items at above the stipulated maximum price during disasters, he said.

Individuals convicted for offences under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 can be fined of up to RM1 million or jailed for not more than three years, while corporate bodies can be fined not more than RM2 million.

Meanwhile, the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 provides for a fine of up to RM100,000 or a jail term of not more than three years for individuals and non-corporate bodies, or a fine not more than RM500,000 for corporate bodies. — Bernama