KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — The government will lower the ceiling price for three-ply surgical face masks to RM1 at the retail level and 95 sen for wholesalers, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

During the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat today, the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister said that the current stock of face masks is also sufficient, and production has been increased to meet demand, with the price subject to revision under the government’s ceiling price mechanism.

"Following these developments, I would like to announce that the price for three-ply surgical/medical face masks will be lowered to RM1 at the retail level, and 95 sen at the wholesale level, based on continued assessment of the supply status and face mask price by the ministry.

"The lowering of the ceiling price is a soft landing approach to enable stocks that were brought in last time at a higher cost using air transportation can be sold, to reduce losses suffered by the importers stemming from the price reduction,” he added.

Alexander said that his ministry is also ready to further lower the price of face masks, in the future.

He said that the suggestion to reduce the ceiling price of face masks was tabled to the Cabinet on July 17, and the government had agreed to reduce the ceiling price of the three-ply face masks from RM1.45 per piece to RM1.15 per piece for wholesalers and from RM1.50 to RM1.20 for retailers.

The above ceiling prices were scheduled to have taken effect on August 15.

Alexander was responding to Stampin MP Chong Chien Jen, who had asked the rationale behind his ministry’s decision to increase the ceiling price for the three-ply face masks, from 80 sen to RM1.50 per piece.