PRICE CHECK: Wan Ahmad (left) together with Kuching South City Council secretary John Lee looking at eggs, one of controlled items, at Stutong Community Market.
KUCHING: Thirteen items are listed under the controlled priced items effective today (Feb 6) until Feb 17 in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration.
According to state director of The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism, Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman, it was also compulsory for all the 13 items be marked with the pink price tags.
“This is to ensure that traders do not take advantage of the festive season to hike up prices of goods,” he said when making the announcement yesterday.
He also said traders could not hike prices even though they had bought the (controlled items) goods at higher prices from the wholesalers.
Wan Ahmad said the controlled items were selected through discussions with traders and wholesalers to ensure no shortage of such goods in the run-up to the Chinese New Year celebration.
The 13 items are: Live chicken at wholesale price of RM6 retail price of RM6.70 per kg, standard chicken (RM7.60 – RM8.50), super chicken (RM8.50 – RM9.50), imported round cabbage (RM2 – RM3), garlic (RM5 – RM6), white pomfret (RM32 – RM35), big white prawn (RM28 – RM32), pork stomach (RM16 – RM18) and pork meat (RM15 – RM17).
Eggs grade A (RM0.34 – RM0.36), grade B (RM0.33 – RM0.35) and grade C (RM0.32 – RM0.34).
Companies found selling the controlled items above the ceiling price would be slapped with a fine of not more than RM500,000 or a compound of up to RM250,000 under Price Control And Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
Individual traders who commit the same offence will be fined RM100,000 or three years’ jail sentence or compounded up to RM50,000.
Wan Ahmad urged consumers who had any information on traders or companies selling goods above the ceiling price to contact them via [email protected] or call the ministry at 082-466052 (ext 57).