THE prices of 21 food items, such as chicken and beef, will be controlled more stringently by the government from June 17 to 30.
This comes under the Hari Raya Price Control Scheme, which requires traders to sell the items within the ceiling price fixed by the government.
On the list are live chicken, standard (normal-sized) chicken, super (large-sized) chicken, Grade A, B and C eggs, local beef, imported beef, imported buffalo meat, red chillies, tomatoes, imported round cabbage, whole coconut, grated coconut, shallots, imported onion, garlic, imported potatoes, mackerel, sardine and albacore tuna.
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said nationwide spot checks would be conducted to ensure compliance.
“Based on feedbacks on our Ramadan Price Control Scheme, I’m glad to announce that traders are helpful and most of them comply with the rules,” he said at his ministry yesterday.
Traders who are found guilty of selling the controlled items above the maximum retail price can be fined up to a maximum of RM100,000 or three years’ imprisonment, or both.
The scheme is in accordance with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011. Traders need to attach pink price tags on the items to differentiate them from other goods under the scheme.
Hamzah said his ministry had carried out 13,464 spot checks since the beginning of Ramadan.
Only six traders did not comply with rules under the Ramadan Price Control Scheme.
He said the maximum fine issued was RM900.
“The percentage of traders who did not comply with
our price control scheme was small,” he said.
Minor offences that were detected by the ministry were mainly failure of traders to display the pink tags for gazetted items, such as grated coconut and green peas.
Failing to display the pink price tags during the duration of the scheme constitutes an offence under the act, where an individual can be fined not exceeding RM10,000 upon conviction or compounded up to RM5,000.
Hamzah encouraged the public with information on unscrupulous traders to lodge a report by calling 03-8000 8000 or through e-aduan@kpdnkk.gov.my.