PUTRAJAYA, Oct 23 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) today listed 16 items under the Festive Season Price Control Scheme in conjunction with Deepavali celebrations on November 6.

Its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said enforcement will last seven days, from November 3 to 9.

"The price control scheme will be enforced three days before the festival, one day on the festival itself and three days after,” he said.

He listed the price-controlled items as: chicken sold live, standard-sized chicken, super chicken, chicken eggs grades A, B and C, local boned mutton, imported boned mutton, imported boned mutton thigh and imported boneless mutton thigh.

The remaining products are tomatoes, red chillies, coconuts, grated coconuts, shallots from India, other imported onions, potatoes from China and lentils from Australia.

Saifuddin Nasution said a ceiling price has been set at the production stage (for chicken and eggs), wholesale and retail in the distribution chain according to fairness and suitability.

The maximum prices for all 16 items listed cover peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan.

He said traders have been asked to use pink-coloured price tag for the controlled items to distinguish them from the normal prices.

"Traders who failed to put pink price tags for price controlled items can be fined up to RM10,000 or a compound fine up to RM5,000 while the company can be fined RM20,000 or a compound up to RM10,000,” the minister said.

The scheme is implemented under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 which provides a maximum fine of RM100,000 and imprisonment not exceeding three years for individuals and a fine of RM500,000 or compound up to RM50,000 for companies that failed to comply with the stipulated price.