KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — The government has agreed to extend the maximum retail price of standard chicken, super chicken and chicken eggs until June 30, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

He said the decision to extend the maximum price scheme, implemented last Feb 5 and is supposed to end this Sunday (June 5) was made at a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

"It is extended to ensure that the Malaysian Family (Keluarga Malaysia) are ready for the price change when the price determination ends on June 30," he said in a statement today.

Under the maximum retail price determination, the price of chicken and eggs in Peninsular Malaysia is RM8.90/kg for Standard Round Chicken and RM9.90/kg for Super Round Chicken, while the egg is priced at; Grade A Chicken Eggs 43 sen each, Chicken Egg Grade B 41 sen each and Grade C Chicken Eggs 39 sen each.

For Langkawi, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, the maximum price of chicken and eggs varies by zone and district.

Nanta said the Finance Ministry would look into a proposal on providing assistance to the low-income target group, including the rate and mechanism for channeling the aid to address the increase in the price of goods after the expiry of the maximum price scheme on June 30.

He said enforcement officers from the ministry would continue to increase enforcement on a daily basis nationwide to ensure stable supply of goods and prevent profiteering by traders.

He called on the business community to always be ethical for consumers to use their purchasing power to buy according to their need and to spend prudently. — Bernama