Abdul Hafidz (left) speaks to a green grocer after checking her weighing scale. —Photos by Jeffery Mostapa
KUCHING: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism yesterday conducted a joint operation with various enforcement agencies in the state to combat price manipulation.
The operation started at Petanak Market at 6.30am yesterday, involving 10 other agencies namely Immigration Department, Inland Revenue Board, Commission of Companies Malaysia Fisheries Development Board, Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama), DBKU, MBKS, Agriculture Department, Veterinary Service office and Customs Department.
According to the ministry’s state deputy director Abdul Hafidz Rahim, the operation resulted in eight offences being recorded; three related to invalid weighing scales, Immigration found three cases and MBKS two.
“The ministry recorded 291 cases in the period from Jan 1 to March 14 in the state this year excluding the three cases from this operation. The total value of seizure is RM13,657,557.
“We will investigate the cases and take the necessary actions,” he told reporters after the conclusion of the operation yesterday.
Abdul Hafidz said the objectives of the nationwide operation were to combat all kinds of price manipulation that cause the price hike of consumer goods and totake legal actions against the offenders.
He gave a few examples of common price manipulation.
“One of them is ‘sale gangsterism’ whereby sellers try to force buyers to purchase goods from them. We don’t have such cases in Sarawak but we are ready to tackle the problem if any. Others include short weight, fake goods, deceiving sales tactics, confusing or hidden price tags, and prices that exceed the gazette.
“We will take the hard enforcement approach on these cases. With a joint task force like this, we can step up our enforcement,” he said.