Ministry considering 3 tamus for programme programme

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PRICE CHECK: Zakaria (left) together with enforcement personnel checking on the price of eggs here, one of the 18 controlled price items.

MIRI: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) Miri branch is mulling the inclusion of three integrated markets (Tamu) here into the ‘Smart Consumers 1Malaysia Portal (1MPB)’ programme, revealed branch enforcement chief, Zakaria Awang yesterday.

These three markets concerned are Tamu Emart in Emart Commercial Centre in Bandar Baru Permyjaya, Tamu Kadayan and Tamu Muhibbah – both in the city centre.

Zakaria said he would be meeting ministry’s director in Kuala Lumpur to discus the matter after the Hari Raya celebration.

He said so far two major outlets in Miri had been included in the 1Malaysia Portal Price programme.

“They are Pasar Besar in Lorong 10 in Krokop and Boulevard Shopping Complex,” he told reporters.

With the inclusion into the portal programme, Zakaria said the prices of goods and essential items in these two outlets were standardised.

The portal programme also enables consumers find out online the prices of goods in various retail outlets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, Tamus and the like before they decide on a purchase.

It is also an alternative for keeping up to date with the current prices of more than 100 items in the country through ‘Pricewatch’.

‘Pricewatch’ plays a role in assisting consumers plan and work out their expenses smartly by comparing prices and highlighting premises in their area that offer goods at reasonable rates.

On a related matter, Zakaria conceded that Miri had the highest standard of cost of living compared to other parts in the state.

“The prices of retail goods, for example, is much more than in Kuching, between 20 to 40 per cent higher,” he disclosed.

As such he requested the kind cooperation of business operators and traders to not simply hike the prices of their goods in consideration of the consumers’ financial constraint.

Zakaria and with his team of five enforcement personnel were conducting a ground inspection at Emart Commercial Centre, Bandar Baru Permyjaya, Tudan here.

The inspection was part of the ministry’s ‘Contolled Price Monitoring’ operation on the 18 essential items in conjunction with the coming festive season.

Among those in the controlled price list are chickens (live, super and standard), chicken eggs (grade A, B and C), red chillies, imported cabbages from Indonesia and China (excluding Beijing), imported big onions, white garlic from China, mackerels and coconuts.