Jaya Grocer's owner Trendcell charged under Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act

SHAH ALAM, May 5 — Trendcell Sdn Bhd, which owns Jaya Grocer Supermarket has become the first company in Malaysia to be charged under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

Trendcell director, Ting Pooi Guan, 59, pleaded not guilty to the charge read before Sessions Court Judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid here today.

According to the charge, Trendcell made unreasonably high profit through the sale of lady’s fingers from RM3.10 a kilogramme on January 1, to RM9.70 from January 3 to January 20, at the Jaya Grocer premises, Lot C8, Ground Floor, Block A, Bangi Gateway Shopping Complex, Bandar Baru Bangi here.

As such, the company had allegedly failed to comply with Rule 2 (2) of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Mechanism for Determining Unreasonably High Profits) (Net Profit Margin) Regulations 2014.

Trendcell was charged under Section 14 (1) of the Price Control Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, punishable under Section 18 (a) of the same Act which carries a maximum fine of RM500,000 and RM1 million for the second and subsequent offences, upon conviction.

Judge Ahmad Azhari set June 9 for re-mention of the case.

Deputy public prosecutors from the domestic trade, cooperative and consumer affairs ministry, Datin Tay Lee Ly and Aida Farihan Mohd Nawi appeared for the prosecution while Trendcell was represented by V. Kalearasu. — Bernama