KUCHING, April 3 — Traders are advised not to take advantage of the reopening of the country’s borders from Friday (April 1) to increase the prices of their goods.

Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the reopening of the borders would definitely boost the economic sector with the arrival of visitors from abroad into the country.

He said the phenomenon of visitors coming from outside would also definitely increase the demand for certain goods in the market.

"With the borders now reopened, foreigners will come to visit and indeed the demand for goods will increase such as food items and others.

"That is why we appeal to traders not to take advantage of the situation to make unreasonable profits because profiteering is an offence,” he told reporters after launching Ops Pantau 2022 here today.

Malaysia entered its transition period to the endemic phase of Covid-19 on April 1 and the country’s borders were also reopened from the same date after two years of living in the shadow of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Nanta said his ministry would step up enforcement and monitoring during Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year through Ops Pantau 2022.

He said Ops Pantau aims to ensure that consumers are able to easily get food supplies and daily necessities at reasonable prices.

"Ops Pantau 2022 will be enforced uniformly throughout the country with the focal points being places like Ramadan bazaars, Aidilfitri bazaars, public markets, supermarkets and grocery stores,” he said. — Bernama