19 kinds of food items placed under festive season price control scheme

In conjunction with Aidilfitri this year, the Negeri Sembilan office of the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry will place 19 kinds of food items under the 2016 Festive Season Price Control Scheme (SKHMP) from June 16 to July 6.

State Public Utilities, Environment, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Abu Ubaidah Redza said the 19 items are live chicken, standard chicken, super chicken, local beef, imported buffalo meat (India).

Also listed are grade A, B and C chicken eggs, red chillies, tomatoes, coconuts, grated coconut, imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China), shallots (India), imported big onions, garlic (China), potato imports (China), mackerel (ikan kembung) including 'ikan mabung' and 'ikan selayang'.

"SKHMP proves the government is serious in addressing the rising cost of living and prices. We always strive to take measures to stabilise the prices of essential goods, especially during the festive season.

"The implementation period for the scheme is 21 days compared with 17 days last year and it is under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011," he told reporters after launching the 2016 SKHMP at the Pasar Awam, Kuala Klawang near here, yesterday.

Abu said traders are required to make sure the price-controlled items do not exceed the maximum price determined by the government and that they need to put a special pink price tag on these items.

Failure to comply will result in the trader being dealt with severely and be charged a penalty.

If found guilty an individual can be fined up to RM100,000 or imprisoned not exceeding three years or both or compounded up to RM50,000 while a company can be fined up to RM500,000 or compounded up to RM250,000.

For failing to display the pink price tags on controlled items, a trader can be fined up to RM10,000 or compounded up to RM5,000, whereas the company can be fined up to RM20,000 or compounded up to RM10,000.

"Our aim in implementing the scheme is not to frustrate traders, but to ensure that people are not burdened by unreasonable price hikes," he said.

Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry deputy director, Saifulbahri Abdul Kadir said in previous years the scheme had a good compliance record.

Saifulbahri said about 3,000 enforcement officers and ministry officials monitoring prices will be in locations frequented by people throughout the state to carry out inspections.