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    22 August 2012| last updated at 10:21PM

    Checking on errant traders

    By Salman Hamat | johor@nst.com.my

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    MONITORING: Those selling items at higher than ceiling prices could face the wrath of the law

      JOHOR BARU: THE Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry will  conduct price checks on essential items in wet markets twice a day during the Hari Raya festive season.

        This is to ensure that traders will  stick to the ceiling price as stipulated under the festive price control scheme and not resort to profiteering from consumers.

      The monitoring  of the prices of 21 price-controlled items will only end on Sunday.

      Among the items being monitored under the scheme are live and slaughtered chickens, local and imported beef, local and imported buffalo meat, and  eggs (grade A, B and C).

     Cabbages, red chillies, tomatoes, red onions, potatoes and garlic are among the vegetables monitored, as well as coconuts and and grated coconuts, and imported groundnuts.

      The ministry's Johor director Ayub Abd Rahman said no complaints had been lodged by consumers for paying higher than the ceiling price  for these items.

      "However during our  inspection, we  noticed some beef sellers  selling the meat at higher than the ceiling price.

      "They claim  they did so on the  grounds that they  obtained their supply from wholesalers at a much higher price.

      "As such, they claim they need to sell it their meat at higher than the ceiling price so as to avoid any losses. We will investigate if their claims are true or otherwise," he said after conducting price checks at the Taman Perling market recently.

      Ayub said traders found selling the price-controlled items at higher than the ceiling price could   be charged under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

      He said the checks to be conducted by the ministry's enforcement squad will cover morning wet markets and farmers' markets.

    Ayub Abd Rahman (left) checking on chicken prices at the Perling wet market. Pic by Mohamad Shahril Badri Saali

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