PUTRAJAYA, July 1 — The Cabinet’s move to set ceiling prices and blanket subsidies for chicken and eggs has been done in great detail for the benefit and wellbeing of the people from all levels of society in facing the rising global inflation rate, said the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP).
It said the initiative was aimed at helping breeders, suppliers, retailers, and consumers especially those from the B40 and M40 groups.
The government has set a new ceiling price in Peninsular Malaysia for standard round chicken at RM9.40 per kilogramme (kg), while the price of grade A chicken eggs at 45 sen each, grade B (43 sen) and grade C (41 sen), effective today ( July 1) for a period of two months.
Effective today, the ceiling prices for chicken have also been set in Langkawi (RM9.90 per kg), Sabah (between RM11 and RM11.30 per kg), Sarawak (between RM9.80 and RM12.90) and Labuan (RM11.30).
The price for grade A egg is fixed at 47 sen each in Sarawak, except in Limbang and Lawas (49 sen each), grade B (45 sen to 48 sen), grade C (43 sen to 46 sen); 50 sen to 51 sen in Sabah for grade A, 49 sen to 50 sen (grade B) and 48 sen to 49 sen (grade C), while in Labuan the price for grade A eggs is fixed at 51 sen each, grade B (50 sen) and grade C (49 sen).
KPDNHEP said the new prices were the manifestation of the government’s concern to help reduce the burden faced by the people at all levels while ensuring the supply of protein sources for Malaysian families to maintain their level of nutrition and health.
“The government has allocated a total of RM369.5 million to implement this new ceiling prices, bringing the total blanket subsidies for chicken and eggs to RM1.1 billion since February 5 this year,” read the statement.
Previously, the government set the maximum retail price of chicken and eggs for Peninsular Malaysia for standard round chicken at RM8.90 per kg, and the maximum price of grade A chicken eggs at 43 sen each, 41 sen for grade B eggs and 39 sen for grade C eggs.
KPDNHEP said it would increase enforcement by mobilising 2,200 officers nationwide to check the compliance of breeders, wholesalers and retailers with the new ceiling prices, adding that it would also continue mounting the Op Ayam, Telur, Minyak Masak (Op ATM) to ensure supplies for these essential items (chicken, eggs, cooking oil) are sufficient and stable in the market.
It said the ministry would also carry out Op Samar operations where plain-clothed officers would be assigned to conduct purchase tests to check traders’ compliance with the law, adding that it believed the compliance rate would remain as high as with the previous ruling of ceiling prices of these items.
A total of 80,179 inspections had been carried out at premises selling chickens and eggs as of May 31 where the compliance rate exceeded 99 per cent with only 121 cases logged, read the statement.
It said in terms of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (AKHAP 2011) and the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (AKB 1961), a total of 846,686 premises had been checked this year with a 99 per cent compliance rate, while 3,832 cases related to AKHAP 2011 and 615 cases under AKB 1961 were recorded.
KPDNHEP said action would be taken against traders if they were found to be unethical, deliberately violating the law, profiteering, or conspiring in a cartel under AKHAP 2011, AKB 1961 and the Competition Act 2010.
“KPDNHEP will continue to work with the government in addressing the people’s cost of living issue holistically and thoroughly covering all controlled items and subsidies including cooking oil, petrol, diesel, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), flour and sugar,” it added. — Bernama
