DENGKIL: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has conducted inspections on 3,460 business premises nationwide and issued 167 notices through Ops Kesan from March 1 until yesterday, said Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (pix).
He said traders who received these notices are required to respond to the ministry within four days regarding adjustments made to the prices of goods and services at their premises.
“Today, we expect to start receiving responses from traders who were issued notices on March 1,” he said at a press conference to announce the expansion of the Subsidised Diesel Control System 2.0 pilot project and opening the Kedai Kampung Fresh Market Sdn Bhd today.
Armizan said the responses were needed to enable the ministry to examine whether the price adjustments comply with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
Ops Kesan is currently underway to monitor the impact of the recent increase in the Sales and Service Tax (SST) rate from six per cent to eight per cent.
It includes monitoring sectors not affected by the tax hike, such as the food and beverage industry, to prevent traders from raising prices arbitrarily.
Armizan also encouraged the public to report any violations, along with supporting evidence, using the various platforms provided by the ministry.
In another development, he proposed that agencies such as Perbadanan Nasional Bhd, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation and Halal Development Corporation lend support to Bumiputera-owned retail companies in promoting ready-to-eat (RTE) products to the global market.
“I hope these agencies can facilitate efforts to ensure that local RTE products can penetrate into the global market, and contribute to the growth of the country’s retail sector,” he said. -Bernama
