The government will not hesitate to implement a ceiling price for chicken if suppliers and traders keep raising prices for no good reason, said Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Rosol Wahid.
He said the ministry was aware of public complaints on price hikes, with chicken being sold at up to RM9.50 per kg in some wet markets in Penang since May.
The government would be meeting the industry players to make a full review of the situation including the production costs, said to be the reason behind the price hike by suppliers, he added.
"Traders claimed that they had to pay a higher price to suppliers after being told of a shortage in supply due to the Movement Control Order (MCO). There was no supply but the demand was high.
"However, should the price keep rising, we will 'lock' it. We have the authority and ability to lock the price at a reasonable rate if they (suppliers and traders) are pressuring the people," he told reporters after visiting Haji Din Ayam (HAD) Poultry here today.
Also present was the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad.
Rosol said the ministry would resolve the price issue by early next month.
"In the meantime, we can guarantee that the supply of chicken will be sufficient and its price will return to normal by the Aidiladha celebration.
"We are also checking the factors that enabled major supermarkets to sell chicken at a lower price compared to elsewhere (wet markets) although they received their supplies from the same source," he said.
He also said a total of 529 notices have been issued to poultry manufacturers, suppliers and retailers as provided for under Section 21 of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 since June 18.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri Jun 26 2020
Rosol said the ministry would resolve the price issue by early next month. - FILEpic
Motorcycling - Marquez wins Australian MotoGP after intense battle with Martin
The 31-year-old, third in the championship standings, has now won the Australian MotoGP four times in the premier class.
Prabowo takes up Indonesian presidency, vows to tackle corruption, other issues
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto on Sunday took over as president of the world's third-largest democracy, vowing to combat internal issues
Nepal's Sherpas deserve more, says teenager who scaled world's 14 tallest peaks
Sherpas are known for climbing skills that make them the backbone of mountain expeditions.
Inside the underground lab in China tasked with solving a physics mystery
China will soon collect neutrino data, aiming to unravel one of particle physics' biggest mysteries.
Millions in Cuba still without power as major outage persists
Millions of Cubans remain without electricity because of a prolonged outage at the main power plants on the island, Anadolu Agency reported.
Surge in Gaza violence increases famine risk, monitor says
About 1.84 million people across the besieged Palestinian enclave are living through high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after rockets hit Israel's north
A drone was launched at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Elon Musk promises to award $1 mil each day to a signer of his petition
He awarded a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Donald Trump.
Former special forces commander Prabowo to take up Indonesian presidency
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto will take over as president of the world's third-largest democracy after sweeping the country's election with policies like free meals for school children
Father of Malaysian Islamic banking, Abdul Halim Ismail passes away
His dedication and pioneering spirit played an important role in shaping the journey of Bank Islam as well as leaving a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.
Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's death
Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band.
Why voters in a handful of swing states will decide the US presidential election
The contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters a tiny fraction of the populace in a handful of states.
INSIGHT - Sudan's war risks 'lost generation' of children
A devastating crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where the most vulnerable members of society children are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Trump says he would impose tariffs on China if China went into Taiwan
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China if China were to "go into Taiwan,"
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.