The government today announced the maximum retail and wholesale prices for 14 types of goods including chicken, mutton, eggs and legumes from Friday to Oct 30 under the price control scheme for Deepavali which falls on Oct 26.    

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the maximum retail price for live chicken is RM6.40 per kg, standard chicken RM7.50 and super chicken RM8.40.      

The maximum retail price for local bone-in mutton is RM32 per kg, imported bone-in lamb RM20, imported boneless lamb RM24 and imported bone-in lamb leg RM26, he told reporters at the lobby of Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur.

Grade A chicken eggs are to be sold at a maximum retail price of 36 sen each, Grade B at 35 sen and Grade C at 34 sen, he added.

Ismail Sabri also said that the maximum retail price for tomato is RM4.20 per kg, (Indian) small red onion RM5, (Chinese) imported potato RM3 and Australian dhall RM3.50.

He said traders who sell the goods at higher than the maximum prices face a fine of up to RM100,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both.  

“Traders are required to affix pink price tags on the controlled items to differentiate them from the other goods. Those who do not affix the tags face a fine of RM10,000 or an on-the-spot compound fine of RM5,000,” he said.

Ismail Sabri also said that the ministry issued 127 show-cause notices between Oct 8 and 14 to chicken traders, wholesalers and breeders nationwide.

“As a result, the prices of chicken were lowered at the level of the breeders. As for the retailers and wholesalers, I appeal to them not to take advantage of the situation to reap excessive profits.  

“We will make an inspection of the prices at all levels from time to time,” he said.

- Bernama