WELL DONE: Zakaria (cerntre) and his team commend a hypermarket for displaying the banner displaying the 18 price-controlled items at the entrance for customers to check the prices of goods before buying.
MIRI: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (MDTCC), Miri office is confident the time frame allowed throughout the festive season is sufficient for suppliers and traders to sell their price-controlled items.
Enforcement chief Zakaria Awang said the ministry had set 15 days as the duration period to control the prices of 18 goods in conjunction with Hari Raya nationwide, commencing Aug 23.
The 18 items placed under the controlled-price list are live chicken at RM6.70 a kg, standard chicken (dressing with legs, heads, livers and biles) RM8 a kg, super chicken RM8.80, imported mutton RM30, local beef RM23 and chicken eggs Grade A (65.0g to 69.9g each) 35 sen each, Grade B (60.0g to 64.9g) 34 sen and Grade C (55.0g to 59.9g) 33 sen.
Imported round cabbage excluding Beijing cabbage are RM3 a kg, red chilli RM12, tomatoes RM6, coconuts RM1.20 each, grated coconuts RM4.50 a kg, imported groundnuts RM6.50, shallots from India at RM6, imported big onions RM4.509, white garlic from China at RM4 and mackerel, RM10 a kg.
Zakaria advised traders, suppliers and premises involved in the scheme to comply with the ministry’s rules and regulations when selling the controlled items.
He warned that they would not hesitate to act against infringement.
“Offenders are liable to a minimum compound of RM100 for not displaying the pink price tags, and RM250 for selling the items exceeding the ceiling price under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011,” he warned.
For this, Zakaria called on all those selling the controlled items to cooperate by displaying the prices on goods in pink tags and also to put up their trading licence.
When asked, he disclosed that there were about 650 premises in Miri Division participating in the scheme.
“The number is relatively more than in previous years,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
The division covers Miri, Marudi, Bakong, Batu Niah, Sibuti and Bekenu.
Meanwhile, the public may report to the ministry’s local office here if they come across any controlled item being sold above the ceiling price.
They can call the hotline at 085-412862 during operation hours.
“We are open during the festive holidays from 8am to 5pm daily,” Zakaria said.