Ministry exposes traders' trick to hike prices

MELAKA: The Melaka Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has revealed that there are still traders who use tricks to raise prices of goods.

Its director, Norena Jaafar, said that among those caught using such tricks, were buffalo meat traders who bought frozen meat but sold it as fresh.

“During our monitoring just now we discovered that there were traders who sold buffalo meat at RM22 per kilogram (kg) compared with the set price at RM20 (per kg).

“Enforcement officers had issued warnings, and if it is repeated compounds will be imposed on the traders,” she said during the press conference after monitoring the implementation of the Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme, in conjunction with Aidilfitri celebration at Pasar Besar Melaka, here, on Friday.

Also present was state Unity, Community Relations, Manpower and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Ismail Othman. Norena also advised traders to be smarter in obtaining supplies from wholesalers who offer lower prices, so as not to burden consumers in the current economic situation.

“For example, there were chicken traders who justified that they had to increase the price because they had obtained supply from a wholesaler on top of another wholesaler, and also due to the factor that they have known the wholesalers for a long time.

“Traders should be able to find alternatives, by acquiring cheaper supplies from farmers or other wholesalers, and they must be considerate to consumers affected by price hike,” she said.

Meanwhile Ismail cautioned traders to display a price tag for each item properly, so as not to confuse buyers.

“I found that there were still a few traders who put confusing price tags, and they had been issued with a warning. Also those who placed old price tags as well as pink tags for controlled items,” he said.