.jpg "Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail speaks to reporters at the official opening ceremony of TF Value-Mart in Balik Pulau January 9, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin")
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — A total of 271 offences had been committed under the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) in conjunction with the 2020 Chinese New Year celebration which began on Jan 20 and ended yesterday (February 2), involving compounds amounting to RM36,200.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said 26,872 wholesale and retail business premises nationwide had been inspected and various items worth RM30,324.17 were seized.
“Out of the 271 offences, six were caught selling items exceeding the maximum price, 217 were not using the special price tag and 48 others failed to display the price tag,” he said in a statement today.
He said that during the implementation of the SHMMP, 2,300 enforcement officers from his ministry had carried out daily monitoring on business premises to ensure traders were in compliance with the price controls.
This year’s Chinese New Year SHMMP has extra four days and three items added compared to the 10 days and 13 items last year.
Saifuddin said the ministry’s enforcement officers will continue monitoring in efforts to address any unreasonable price hikes under the Price Control and Anti-Profit Act 2011, even after the completion of the SHMMP implementation period.
He also urged consumers to be aware of and to submit any complain to the ministry’s nine channels including WhatsApp application at 019-2794317 if they found any incidents of unreasonable price hikes by traders.
Consumers are also advised to download the price comparison application, ‘Price Catcher’, which was developed by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP), to compare prices and get the best value for each purchase, he said. — Bernama
