LAHAD DATU: Lahad Datu is experiencing an artificial shortage of essential food items like rice, sugar, cooking oil and chicken
Chairman of the District Consumer Movement, Iman Ali, reckons that the shortage could be due to panic buying in view of the recently imposed curfew and wholesale purchases by consumers living in the plantations.
Iman said consumers living in the plantations would usually buy and stock up food supply for a month and this could have increased due to the upcoming Hari Raya celebration.
And, consumers in this district are also seen to be stocking up their food supply in view of the curfew.
“However, this artificial shortage is not expected to persist as consumers are aware that the curfew is only imposed at certain areas.
“We have also implemented several measures to ensure this situation will not persist and would return to normal at the earliest possible time,” he said, adding that they have visited the rice warehouse in this district and noted that the stocks would be replenished with additional supplies from Sandakan and Tawau.
Iman said despite the shortage of supplies, the enforcement units of certain ministries and departments have been able to control the prices of goods from rising.
Meanwhile, Iman said the supply of fish in the market is still normal and this proved that the fishermen could still go out to sea as usual despite the curfew.
He added that the people in general should be aware that the government would only do something after considering many factors and undertaking a study.
“I am confident when the leaders said the government has imposed the curfew for the people, it will not burden the people,” he said.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman announced on Saturday the two-week curfew, effective until August 2, to be enforced three nautical miles off the coast stretching 362 nautical miles from Tanjung Pundaras in Sandakan to part of Pulau Sebatik in Tawau. It involved an area of 121,270 nautical square miles.