PUTRAJAYA, Feb 11 ― The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has been conducting surveillance in Johor since Saturday to ensure there is no panic buying of essential food or household items by Singaporeans in the state.

The ministry in a statement today said that inspections were carried out around Johor Baru, Iskandar Puteri, Pasir Gudang and Kulai to ensure that controlled items, food and other basic items were sufficient for Malaysians.

It said 604 premises had been inspected involving 60 enforcement officers in the two-day operation.

"The data received by the ministry from wholesalers related to stock of controlled items such as sugar, cooking oil and flour were sufficient for consumers in Johor,” the statement said.

Monitoring was also conducted to ensure that there was no hiding of controlled goods among retailers and the selling prices were according to the prices set by the government.

According to the statement, surveillance was carried out following a video clip showing panic buying in Singapore after the government there raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON)  level from Yellow to Orange (its second highest alert level) for the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.

On the sale of face masks, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s statement said its state office in Johor was still conducting investigations after getting 65 complaints.

The statement said from 187 inspections carried out, two premises had been selling the controlled item at a higher price from the price set and they were compounded RM500 and RM10,000, respectively. ― Bernama