The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry has placed 21 items under the Price Control Scheme nationwide in the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said the price control scheme will take effect from June 16 to July 6, for 21 days instead of 17 days last year to prevent unreasonable price hikes.

"This scheme will take place 20 days prior to Hari Raya Aidilfitri and on the celebration day itself.

"The ceiling price for the 21 items applied to 149 districts, including Sabah and Sarawak. It is hoped that this early announcement will help the traders to be prepared," he told a press conference to announce the list at a
supermarket here Saturday.

Also present was ministry secretary-general, Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh.

He said the price monitoring at all districts nationwide from last year to June this year was based on weekly price monitoring by the ministry.

Hamzah also said the ministry would be more aggresive in monitoring the price through its 2,300 enforcement officers, to ensure the people would be more comfortable celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri this time around.

"We have also set up 'Friends of KPDNKK' involving the public as 'spies' to help our enforcement officers monitor (price watch at) commercial premises," he said.

He said the scheme was implemented under the Price Control Act and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 which provides for RM100,000 fines and imprisonment or maximum compound of RM50,000 for individual offenders.

Companies which fail to comply with the scheme will face RM500,000 fines or compound of up to RM250,000, he said.

"Traders who fail to display the controlled items through a pink price tag will face fines of up to RM10,000 or compound up to RM5,000 for individuals, or maximum RM20,000 fines or RM10,000 compound for companies," he said.

The price of the controlled items varies according to zones. Consumers may check the full list on the ministry's website at http://www.kpdnkk.gov.my.

The 21 controlled items are as follows:

1. Live chicken
2. Standard chicken (slaughtered and cleaned including legs, head, liver and gizzard or any part of)
3. Super chicken (slaughtered and cleaned including legs, head, liver and gizzard)
4. Grade A chicken eggs
5. Grade B chicken eggs
6. Grade C chicken eggs
7. Local beef (uncontrolled in Sarawak and Federal Territory of Labuan)
8. Imported beef (controlled only in Sarawak)
9. Imported buffalo meat from India (uncontrolled in Sarawak)
10. Red chilli
11. Tomato
12. Imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China except Beijing cabbage)
13. Coconut (controlled at wholesale level only)
14. Grated coconut (controlled at retail level only)
15. Shallot (India)
16. Garlic (China)
17. Imported big onion
18. Imported potato (China)
19. Kembung fish (mackerel) including mabung fish (weight between 7 and 10 fish per kg)
20. Selayang fish (weight between 7 and 10 fish per kg)
21. Aya/tuna fish (weight between 7 and 10 fish per kg) (controlled in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan only)