Daily monitoring of basic necessities – ministry
KOTA KINABALU: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) Putrajaya Enforcement Division has undergone daily monitoring of status for basic necessities supply in Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
KPDNHEP Putrajaya director, Datuk Iskandar Halim Sulaiman, said the move had been done in accordance to the administrative PKPD in Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak starting September 29 to October 12 before being extended throughout Sabah starting October 13 to 23, 2020.
He noted, shortly after, the Covid-19 infection began to spread to Peninsular Malaysia where reported cases were concentrated in Klang Valley and nearby areas, leading the government to enforce the Conditional Movement Control Order (PKPB) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from October 14 to 27, 2020.
“In line with the implementation of the movement control order, the Enforcement Division, KPDNHEP Putrajaya has issued an instruction to KPDNHEP Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya to conduct daily inspections to monitor the supply position of basic necessities in the states,” said Iskandar.
“The monitoring carried out in the four states is to monitor the supply level of 12 consumer daily necessity items in the market so the appropriate action can be taken to ensure adequate supply. The 12 types of items are sugar, cooking oil, wheat flour, rice, white bread, milk powder, chicken vegetables, eggs, onions, hand sanitizer and face mask.
“Besides that, monitoring the supply position of 510 selected dedicated district retailers (DDR) had also been implemented in the four states. That will determine the position of goods in an area. Of the 12 types of items monitored on a daily basis, only seven items were monitored for supply status through the DDR program, namely sugar, flour, cooking oil, eggs, rice bread and chicken,” he said, adding there are 170 DDR premises in Sabah.
Iskandar said in addition to the retail level monitoring, supplies have also been monitored weekly at the wholesale level.
He said the dedicated district wholesellers (DDW) selected are at 214 premises in the four states and seven main items, which are sugar, flour, cooking oil, eggs, rice, liquefied petroleum gas and chicken, are being monitored.
“Overall, monitoring of 12 basic necessities at the retail and wholesale levels in Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya today found that the supply position is still at a stable level. Business activity in the market is also reported to be under control and no panic buying had occurred,” he revealed.