ENSURING COMPLIANCE: Antonio (left) accompanied by Awang Ismail (second), Tan (back row, right) and senior officers from the ministry at the hypermarket.
MIRI: Consumers should not only be smart when buying goods but must also support the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism’s efforts in curbing all forms of trade malpractices.
In saying this, Miri Resident Antonio Kahti Galis advised consumers to report immediately to the ministry should they suspect traders contravening any trading laws.
“Do your part in reporting unscrupulous traders fleecing consumers, with the Lunar New Year just days away either email to the ministry at [email protected], call the toll free line at 1-800-886-800 or call the ministry here at 085-412862” he urged when launching the divisional level Chinese New Year (CNY) 2013 Price Control Scheme here yesterday.
Among those present were the managing director of Boulevard Hyppermarket & Departmental Store Raymond Lim, the deputy enforcement officer Awang Ismail Awang Madian and senior officers of the ministry and the departmental store.
Meanwhile, Awang Ismail said so far his ministry had not received any report of traders hoarding goods or hiking prices exorbitantly.
“Nevertheless, we will continue to intensify our efforts especially with the commencement of the CNY Price Control Scheme today,” he stressed.
Under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, traders hiking prices of essential items gazetted under the 12-day CNY Price Control Scheme can be fined up to RM100,000 or sentenced to three years’ jail or both.
As for companies, they can be fined up to RM500,000 or have their cases compounded up to RM250,000.
Meanwhile, traders too are reminded to display pink price tags for the 13 gazetted items to enable consumers to differentiate them from others throughout the duration of the scheme.
The scheme which is only applicable in Miri and Marudi is to lessen the burden of the people in obtaining essential items during the celebration.
Meanwhile, the retail prices for the 12 items under the scheme are 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 (RM0.36 each), Grade B eggs (RM0.35 each), Grade C eggs (RM0.34 each), imported cabbage (Indonesia and China excluding Beijing) at RM3/kg, imported garlic (China) at RM7.50/kg, white pomfret fish (between 200gm and 400gm each) are priced at RM40, large white shrimp (between 41 and 60 pieces per kg) at RM35/kg, pork (belly) at RM18/kg and pork (lean and fat) at RM17/kg.