Tiong (fifth right) launches the Chinese New Year Price Control Scheme 2018 at Sing Kwong Supermarket, Salim. He is joined by Sie Keong (third right), Roslee (fifth left), Ganda (left), Tang (third left) and others.
SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King has reminded traders to display pink price tags for the 12 items under the Chinese New Year Price Control Scheme 2018 to differentiate them from the non-gazetted ones.
He gave this reminder when launching the scheme at Sing Kwong Supermarket in Salim here yesterday.
The 12-day scheme is being enforced till Feb 21.
Tiong said failure to display the pink price tags is an offence under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act, 2011.
“Placing the lid on the prices of controlled items during festivals will prevent unscrupulous traders from hiking prices of goods at their whims and fancies,” he added.
Suggesting that traders sell these items below the ceiling prices, he said: “These are common food items which many people will want to buy to prepare for the festival.”
Tiong, who is Dudong assemblyman, later took a tour around the supermarket, accompanied by Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (kpdnkk) Sibu branch chief Roslee Maslie, deputy chief Ganda Jirap, Sing Kwong Supermarket director Tang Kuok King and Tiong’s private secretary Tiong Sie Keong.
Meanwhile, according to a media statement handed to reporters, it is an offence to sell gazetted items above the controlled prices, under which an individual upon conviction can be fined up to RM100,000 or sentenced to not more than three years’ jail or both, or a compound up to RM50,000.
Companies on the other hand, can be fined up to RM500,000 or compounded not exceeding RM250,000.
The following are the retail prices of the controlled items: live chicken (RM6.70/kg), standard chicken (complete with head, feet, liver and gizzard) at RM8.50/kg, super chicken (without head, feet, liver and gizzard) at RM9.50/kg, Grade A eggs (RM0.39 each), Grade B eggs (RM0.38 each), Grade C eggs (RM0.37 each), imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China excluding Beijing cabbage) at RM4/kg, garlic (China) at RM10/kg, white pomfret (weighing between 200gm and 400gm each) at RM38/kg, large banana prawn (weighing between 41 and 60gm) at RM35/kg, pork belly (RM19.50/kg) and pork (lean and fat) at RM18.50/kg.