KUCHING: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has listed 19 items under the Festive Seasons Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMMP) for Christmas effective last Sunday until Dec 31.
KPDNHEP deputy director cum Sarawak chief enforcement officer Mohd Hanizam Kechek said that the 10-day implementation is an effort to restrict the increase in prices of essential goods ahead of the Christmas celebration which will be celebrated on Dec 25 nationwide.
“The list of goods recorded an addition of three items namely, red chilli, imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China, not including Beijing cabbage) and imported potato (China).
“The price control category includes chicken, egg, vegetables, mutton and pork,” he told reporters after conducting a round inspection in conjunction with the 2019 Christmas Holiday Price Scheme at Giant Tabuan Jaya here, yesterday.
He further said that the inspection and monitoring of price control of the essential goods will be carried out by 188 law enforcement personnel across Sarawak including 73 personnel for Kuching alone.
He also reminded that strict action will be taken against traders who fail to comply with the regulations under this scheme.
Any trader who commits an offense will be brought under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and may be subject to penalties.
“An individual selling goods above maximum price can be punishable by a fine by court of up to RM100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both or a compound of up to RM50,000.
“Meanwhile, for a company, it can be fined of up to RM500,000 or given a compound of up to RM250,000,” he said.
On the failure of placing pink price tag on items, an individual can be fined up to RM10,000 or compounded up to RM5,000 while a company can be fined up to RM20,000 or compounded up to RM10,000.
As of Dec 15, KPDNHEP Sarawak has recorded inspection involving a total of 94,576 premises in the state and resulted in a total of 1,160 cases with confiscation amounting to RM 16,244,903.42 and compounds worth RM337,650.
Also present was Giant Tabuan Jaya store manager Meringgai Jawa.
The goods under the scheme are listed as follows:
- Live chicken
- Standard chicken (slaughtered and dressed chicken with leg, head, liver and gizzard or any parts thereof)
- Super chicken (slaughtered and dressed chicken without leg, head, liver and gizzard)
- Live spent chicken
- Imported turkey
- Chicken egg (Grade A)
- Chicken egg (Grade B)
- Chicken egg (Grade C)
- Chicken wing
- Local mutton with bone
- Imported mutton and lamb with bone
- Imported potatoes from China
- Red Chilli
- Imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China, not including Beijing cabbage)
- Tomato
- Green pepper (capsicum)
- Live pig
- Pork (belly)
- Pork (meat and fat)
