KAJANG, Nov 6 — There has been no official report on chicken price increase received by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) after the implementation of price floating for the meat since last Wednesday.

KPDN Acting Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the results of monitoring carried out by the ministry’s enforcement team until yesterday also found that the price of standard chicken in the peninsula can be as low as RM5.79 per kilogramme (kg).

"However, there are also some that are sold a little higher up to RM10.50/kg such as in Mentakab, Temerloh and Pasar Awam Matang, Perak and the enforcement team is monitoring the matter because we take an approach of dealing with traders, instead of taking legal action.

"As for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, I received direct instructions from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to go down and monitor prices there because he received information that chicken prices are more expensive than in the peninsula,” he told reporters in a press conference on the Festive Seasons Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMMP) for Deepavali 2023, here today.

Armizan said further investigation found that the situation in Sabah is a bit unique as the popular version there is not standard chicken, but super clean chicken.

"So it’s true that the price (super chicken) is a little expensive compared to regular chicken, with the cheapest being sold at RM10 and can reach RM13.90/kg, but the fact is that the price is lower than the control price in Sabah in the past which was RM11.30/kg.

He said the price of clean chicken in Sarawak is as low as RM9.90, but reaches RM18.90/kg in some areas such as Lawas and Limbang, due to logistics costs.

At the same time, he said in areas that are facing problems with chicken supply and prices, the ministry also intervenes through the organisation of Rahmah and Agro Madani Sales in the localities involved.

"However, I would also like to acknowledge the fact that the price of chicken in the peninsula is indeed cheaper than in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan due to several factors and to resolve this price imbalance will definitely require some time and the cooperation of the state government,” he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on media reports related to the price of basic necessities rising up to 64 per cent in Penang, Armizan said the KPDN is closely monitoring the matter and has issued three feedback notices to traders asking for an explanation for the price hike. — Bernama