KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) will double its monitoring efforts on the prices of goods and food sold at Ramadan bazaars nationwide throughout the fasting month.

Its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said monitoring activities would be carried out in real-time, involving 72 enforcement command centres so that problems can be identified within a short time.

“About 2,000 uniformed enforcement officers and 1,000 price monitoring officers will be mobilised at all Ramadan bazaars,” he told reporters after launching the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) Ramadan 2022 sales programme here.

He gave his assurance that the prices of goods and food will be stable throughout the Ramadan month.

He was reported as saying that the ministry would continue to carry out monitoring and enforcement activities on traders who raise the prices of goods ahead of the country’s transition to endemic phase beginning today and the implementation of the new minimum wage from May 1.

Meanwhile, Nanta said the Ramadan sales programme which is a collaboration between the ministry and 15 retail sector industry players who are the programme’s strategic partners, will take place from April 3 to May 2.

He said the programme would focus on 12 selected items from the Keluarga Malaysia Maximum Price Control Scheme such as fresh chickens, eggs of various grades and vegetables.

Among the programme’s strategic partners are Metro Prima AEON Mall, Lotus (Kepong), Econsave (Scott Garden) and NSK Trade City (KL) Sdn Bhd.

Previously, Nanta said the Keluarga Malaysia sales programme which was scheduled to end yesterday (March 31), would be continued until June due to a good response from the public.

The programme offers essential items such as chickens, seafood, vegetables, cooking oil, sugar, flour and rice at 20 per cent cheaper than the market price.

-- BERNAMA