KUALA TERENGGANU: The state Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry has urged major wholesalers in the state to increase the number of essential items by 20 per cent under the Flood Contingency Plan.
Its director Saharuddin Mohd Kia said the move is important to ensure the amount of essential items, including sugar, cooking oil, flour and cooking gas, are sufficient in case of an emergency during the flood season.
He said the department's enforcement officers have been instructed to monitor the number of essential items kept by the wholesalers.
“They must ensure the stocks of the essential items are sustainable for six months until March next year.
“This is our contingency plan to make sure agencies, including the Civil Defence Force and Welfare Department, have adequate supplies in case of emergencies,” he told reporters after visiting a wholesaler near Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin here today.
Saharuddin said the department has so far identified 41 cooking oil wholesalers, 34 sugar wholesalers, 36 flour wholesalers, 13 diesel and petrol wholesalers, and 20 LPG gas wholesalers in the state.
However, he said the flood contingency plan was not to be abused.
“We will act if these wholesalers use this opportunity to hoard the essential items or raise the prices of these items.
“Those who are found hoarding can be charged under the Price and Control Act and the Anti-Profiteering Act 2011,” he said.
Meanwhile, the owner of the premise inspected by the officers, Stephen How, 60 said regular inspections from the enforcement officers was a strong signal for traders to abide by the law.
“My premise is providing three items namely flour, sugar and cooking oil. We have enough stock to meet the demand of our consumers,” he added.