PUTRAJAYA, April 5 — The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has recorded seizures totalling RM558,956 for various offences under Ops Pantau 2024 nationwide from March 12 until yesterday.
Its minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said this was the result of inspections conducted on 38,126 premises, including Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri bazaars, public markets, wet markets, hypermarkets, supermarkets, grocery stores, and online sales.
“During the same period, we received 1,216 complaints from consumers.
“Among the offences addressed are failure to display price tags, not using valid weighing instruments, and the sale of counterfeit goods,” he said during a press conference after visiting the ministry’s Enforcement Coordination Centre (ECC) today.
Armizan added that Ops Pantau was fully executed via the Integrated Enforcement Management System (IEMS) to enable prompt and effective follow-up actions.
The IEMS was fully deployed early this year after following Phase Two of its development process, which involved enhancing inspection and compounding, modules for price and supply supervision, intellectual properties, enforcement management, and mobile apps.
“This system will continue to be refined to ensure that enforcement activities can be conducted swiftly using digital means.
“Complaints are recorded in real-time, so there is no issue that KPDN officers can revoke compounds on the ground,” he said.
Regarding the ECC, Armizan said it would operate as usual during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri public holidays.
“The main focus is to ensure the availability of essential goods supplies and price stability throughout this festive season,” he said.
The ECC at the KPDN headquarters operates daily from 8am to 8pm, while ECCs at KPDN state offices operate from 8am to 6pm.
Meanwhile, commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s directive for ministers to check the prices and supply of goods sold in the market, the minister said it reflects the Unity Government’s commitment to addressing the issue of prices and supply of essential items, especially during festive seasons.
“We know leaders always go down to the ground, but the prime minister wants everyone (leaders) to check on supply and prices.
“This shows that not only does he himself go to Ramadan bazaars and so on, but he also wants his team to do the same,” he said.
On Wednesday (April 3), Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Anwar had directed ministers to allocate more time to ground assess issues related to prices and supply of essential goods ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, following feedback from several programmes he attended.
— Bernama
