14 items on Christmas price control list
Published on: Friday, December 22, 2023
Armizan officiating the Mercy Sale and Christmas Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP).
Kota Kinabalu: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has introduced a maximum price scheme for 14 food products for the Christmas season, said its minister Datuk Armizan Ali.
For five days from December 23 to 27, the scheme would cover items deemed essential and popular during the festive season.
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While exact prices vary from region to region, the same 14 items are involved, including imported bone-in lamb, pork belly, live pigs (from farm), pork belly, pork meat, chicken wings, and mature live chickens.
Pork and chicken wings are already controlled price items in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan while mature chicken is controlled in Sarawak.
Other items include tomatoes, green chillies, imported round cabbages from China and Indonesia, red carrots, red chillies, imported potatoes from China, imported red onions and imported yellow onions.
The Christmas ceiling price scheme 2023 will be enforced through the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act (AKHAP) 2011, which covers producers, wholesalers and retailers.
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The items in question must display a pink price tag. Price checks can be made via the ministry’s website.
“KPDN enforcement officers throughout the country will constantly inspect and monitor strategic locations, such as wet markets, farmer’s markets and shopping malls, for festival essentials.
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“This approach allows for more effective enforcement and immediate action can be taken in response to complaints if non-compliance occurs,” he said.
Traders who fail to comply could be subject to a RM50,000 compound, court penalties of up to RM100,000, or three years’ jail for charging above the ceiling rate, while companies can be fined up to RM500,000 or compounded up to RM250,000.
For the offence of failing to use a pink price tag, individual traders can be fined up to RM10,000 or compounded up to RM5,000, while companies can be fined up to RM20,000 or compounded up to RM10,000.
Meanwhile, traders who can import and sell refined sugar at RM2.85 per kg will be given immediate Approved Permits (AP) by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living (KPDN).
Armizan said the supply disruption felt nationwide is caused by a 150 per cent global price surge for raw sugar which has been increasing since 2021.
He said the fact that Malaysia’s sugar cane plantations were replaced by palm oil and rubber didn’t help. There are 26 main sugar suppliers in Sabah closely monitored by the KPDN.
“The country’s two main sugar suppliers are still adhering to the RM2.85 ceiling price and have been operating at a loss for the past three years.
“They can only soften the blow by creating a premium sugar line as an alternative,” he said.
He said the long-term solution would be based on two priorities – reasonable prices and a stable supply.
“We will make assessments on 1 Jan 2024 and act on an immediate decision to avoid larger supply disruptions,” he said.
This included the possibility of direct distribution from suppliers to consumers.
Armizan stressed that the Government only acts to control the price of refined white sugar and does not implement any subsidies.
“Since assuming the Ministerial position in July 2023, KPDN has taken a relaxed approach in issuing APs for sugar.
“Forty three companies have been granted this amounting to 557,080 metric tons. The purpose is to enable any party to find raw sugar sources at a lower rate.”
As of Dec. 12, sugar supplies into the country was at 5 per cent, and even so, only for personal use.
“This means that a viable sugar source to be sold at RM2.85 per kilogram control price is yet to be found,” he said, after officiating the Christmas Rahmah Sale at the Yu Sang Commercial Centre in Kepayan.
“Many also complained of lack of wet food items. The Jualan Rahmah programme has chicken but not fish, and so on.
“So beginning next year we will be bringing in this element through Pasar Rahmah.
“This time it will be open for public traders in rotation, expanding the programme beyond supermarkets and minimarts.
“Whoever can offer their products at a 10 to 20 per cent discount, the government will subsidise,” he said, adding that the pilot project is still unpolished.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently announced an additional RM200 million to improve the Jualan Rahmah initiative in 2024 designed to reduce the burdens of inflation.
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