KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has a calculation method throughout the supply chain that enables it to detect attempts by irresponsible parties to raise prices following the announcement of several initiatives in Budget 2025.

Its deputy minister, Fuziah Salleh said in relation to this, the KPDN will not hesitate to take action against any party taking advantage of raising prices, including on sugary products.

"When the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) made the ‘sugary tax’ announcement on drinks and foods high in sugar, such as carbonated beverages, even before anything has happened, people are already starting to talk about the future (higher) food prices and so on,” she said yesterday

"Therefore, I made a statement that the price of sugar did not increase. So, it means if you make cakes with the sugar we have now, it (price of cakes) won’t increase. We need to give a firm warning not to take advantage because the KPDN knows the costs along the entire supply chain,” she said.

Fuziah said this while being a guest last night on the ‘Ruang Bicara’ programme, produced by Bernama TV.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said while presenting Budget 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat last Friday that in an effort to support the ‘War on Sugar’ movement, the government plans to increase the excise duty rate on sugary drinks in phases starting from Jan 1, 2025, by 40 sen per litre.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said that price monitoring is carried out by KPDN every day involving 990 price monitoring officers.

"Every day there are 990 price monitoring officers who go to wet markets, mini markets and so on,” she also said.

"And they have 480 items whose prices are checked daily. Each day, we receive reports on how much (the prices of goods) have gone up, how much they have gone down.

"So we know who is taking advantage and who is not. If there is something wrong, we will conduct an investigation and if found guilty, they will be issued notices,” she added. — Bernama