Tee (left) and Nor Nekman with the 19 controlled items list at Taman Rinting Mydin hypermarket

JOHOR BARU: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) has listed a total of 19 controlled items under the Hari Raya Festive Season Price Control Scheme 2016.

The state Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said that the scheme would be applied until July 6.

“Compared to last year’s Hari Raya season, two showed a decrease, five remained the same while the other 12 items increased slightly.

“The two items that showed a decrease are small red onions from India and tomatoes while the five items are coconuts, imported potatoes, ikan kembung andmabung as well as ikan selayang,” he said.

He told reporters this after attending a price checking event at Taman Rinting Mydin here on Thursday.

Tee said that the retail price of small red onions from India was at RM6 while it was RM4 for tomatoes compared to last year, at RM7 and RM4.50 respectively.

He also added that among the 12 items that showed an increase, between 1.4% and 3.45%, included red chillies, garlic, beef, chickens, chicken eggs (all categories), cabbage and imported big onions.

“Some of the factors which contributed to the increase in prices of some of the items include demand, currency exchange rate, weather as well as market price.

“The 19 controlled items comprise chickens, chicken eggs, imported potatoes, onions, garlic, ikan kembung, ikan selayang, imported beef, local beef, tomatoes, red chillies and cabbage which were implemented under Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011,” he said.

Meanwhile, KPDNKK director Nor Nekman Jaimon urged traders and wholesalers to follow prices under the scheme and to state the prices with pink labels during the period.

He also said that those who failed to display prices on their items had violated the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Acts 2011.

Nor Nekman said that any retailer or trader who charged an unreasonable price for their goods could be charged under the same act which carries a maximum fine of RM500,000 or two years jail, or both upon conviction.

-The STAR-