SERI KEMBANGAN: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) has issued eight notices to traders for failing to adjust their prices since the implementation of the zero-rated Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Its deputy secretary-general Datuk Basaruddin Sadali said traders that received the notices needed to submit justifications and explanations for their action.
“We received 1,200 complaints and have inspected more than 300,000 premises between June 1 and yesterday.
“We will react to every complaint within 24 hours,” he told reporters after officiating Selangor Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive price control scheme at Pasar Borong Selangor today.
Meanwhile, Basaruddin said although 22 essential items were listed this year under the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive price control scheme, but only 19 items were involved in Selangor.
The 19 items are live chicken, standard chicken, super chicken, chicken eggs – grade A, B and C - local beef, imported buffalo meat (India), red chillies, tomatoes, imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China, not including Beijing cabbage), whole coconuts (ceiling price at wholesale level only), grated coconut (ceiling price at retail level only), imported shallots (India), imported onions, imported garlic (China), imported potatoes (China), ikan kembung including ikan mabung, and ikan selayang.
He said inspections at the wholesale market revealed that the majority of traders followed the ceiling price set by the ministry.
“However, some of the price tags did not comply with our specifications. We advised them to change their price tags to avoid confusion among customers.
“Our checks at the market revealed that prices at the market are slightly higher compared to other markets.
“Hence, customers should make comparisons or check at our Price Catcher page before purchasing as some traders and hypermarkets set their prices lower than our ceiling price,” he said.
He also warned that action could be taken under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 against traders who failed to follow the ceiling prices set by the ministry and displayed pink price tags correctly.
The Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive price control scheme started from Friday and will continue until June 22, about one week before and after Hari Raya Aidilfitri which is expected to fall on June 15.
Present were Selangor KPDNKK director Ahmad Fauzi Idris, his enforcement chief Azman Adam and Selangor Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority director Datuk Abdul Ghariff Ramin.