11 items added to Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme
KUCHING: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has listed 11 additional items for Sarawak under the Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme effective yesterday until June 3.
The items are tomatoes, imported round cabbage (from Indonesia and China, excluding Beijing), red chili, green capsicum, onions (China), onions (Holland), potatoes (China), dried chili and groundnut.
Also listed are fish namely kembung (including mabung) and selayang.
The newly listed items, according to the ministry in a statement, is to meet the demands of consumers during the festive season which coincides with the Conditional Movement Control Order period.
The statement also said prices of the goods in Sarawak will depend on the locality of consumers which are divided into five main zones.
The selling price of the items will depend on the geographical factor, logistics and the supplier’s source.
The global market price of goods, currency exchange and the rising costs of foreign farmers will also influence the selling price in each of the five zones, especially on imported items.
Yesterday, a walkabout to check the compliance level of traders on the scheme in Bau was led by the ministry’s state director Datuk Stanley Tan and Serembu assembylman Miro Simuh.
The ministry said notices under Section 21 of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 will be enforced on any party found to suddenly increase the prices of goods.
Action will be taken against traders who fail to comply with the regulations of the scheme under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and may be subject to the following penalties, which are the offences in selling controlled goods above maximum price.
Individuals can be fined up to RM100,000, or imprisoned for up to three years, or both, or issued compounds up to RM50,000; whereas companies can be fined up to RM500,000 or compounded up to RM250,000.
For failure to place pink price tag on controlled items, the offender can be fined up to RM10,000 or compound up to RM5,000 and for companies RM20,000 or compound up to RM10,000.
Meanwhile, 102 personnel from the ministry will conduct checks and monitor the price of goods in Sarawak.
The public can lodge complaints by contacting their hotline at 1-800-886-800, Portal e-aduan KPDNHEP di http:// e-aduan.kpdnhep.gov.my or Whatsapp 019-2794317.