PUTRAJAYA, March 20 — The government now permits the import of face masks to meet a shortage in the domestic market as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said today.

He said the permission to allow imports came into force yesterday after the ceiling price of the mask was raised from 80 sen to RM2 per piece.

The ministry hopes that this measure will encourage traders to import masks soon, he told reporters after a meeting with 12 retail industry players at the ministry here today.

"If the ministry maintains the 80 sen ceiling price, the entrepreneurs and manufacturers will be unable to produce the mask,” he said, adding that the cost of production has gone up.

He said the ministry had prohibited export of the masks earlier to increase domestic supply. — Bernama