New price limit for face mask tomorrow
Published: Aug 18, 2009 9:20 AM | Updated: Aug 18, 2009 9:44 AM
The ceiling price for surgical masks will be announced tomorrow, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
The ceiling price for surgical masks will be announced tomorrow, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
He said that the announcement would also cover the types of masks to be listed as price controlled items following the hike in the price of surgical masks amid concerns over the Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.
"Officers of the ministry had a meeting with the Health Ministry today to determine the price and the types of masks to be included in the list," he told reporters after opening the Cooperative Excellence Training Centre and the Second National Cooperative Policy Convention in Papar, Sabah today.
He said that after the ceiling price was announced, errant traders or suppliers could face a fine of up to RM15,000 or a maximum of two years in jail or both upon conviction under the Price Control Act 1946.
He said it was unethical for traders to sell the masks at RM5 each when the normal price was only about 50 sen each.
"Imagine the burden borne by the poor... a family of six, for instance, needs to spend RM30 to buy the masks. Meaning, the family has to spend hundreds of ringgit to buy the masks during the pandemic to protect its members from infection," he said.
He also hoped that big corporations would come forward and carry out their corporate social responsibilities to help the less fortunate.
Cooperative council to be set up
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said a cooperative council would be set up in each parliamentary constituency next year to monitor the sector's development in the country and obtain feedback from cooperative members.
"The set up is based on parliamentary areas as in certain states like Sabah and Sarawak, there can be two or three parliamentary areas in one district.
A member of parliament or an assemblyman would be appointed to head the council in their respective areas, he added.
In a related development, Ismail Sabri said, the government targeted 2012 as the year to achieve the 10,000th cooperative in the country.
Malaysia currently has 6,857 cooperatives.
"We are not just aiming for the number but also to instil the cooperative culture among the people," he said.
He said 13 cooperatives were suspended since last year for various offences, including engaging in get-rich-quick schemes.
- Bernama
He said that the announcement would also cover the types of masks to be listed as price controlled items following the hike in the price of surgical masks amid concerns over the Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.
"Officers of the ministry had a meeting with the Health Ministry today to determine the price and the types of masks to be included in the list," he told reporters after opening the Cooperative Excellence Training Centre and the Second National Cooperative Policy Convention in Papar, Sabah today. He said that after the ceiling price was announced, errant traders or suppliers could face a fine of up to RM15,000 or a maximum of two years in jail or both upon conviction under the Price Control Act 1946.
He said it was unethical for traders to sell the masks at RM5 each when the normal price was only about 50 sen each.
"Imagine the burden borne by the poor... a family of six, for instance, needs to spend RM30 to buy the masks. Meaning, the family has to spend hundreds of ringgit to buy the masks during the pandemic to protect its members from infection," he said.
He also hoped that big corporations would come forward and carry out their corporate social responsibilities to help the less fortunate.
Cooperative council to be set up
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said a cooperative council would be set up in each parliamentary constituency next year to monitor the sector's development in the country and obtain feedback from cooperative members.
"The set up is based on parliamentary areas as in certain states like Sabah and Sarawak, there can be two or three parliamentary areas in one district.
A member of parliament or an assemblyman would be appointed to head the council in their respective areas, he added.
In a related development, Ismail Sabri said, the government targeted 2012 as the year to achieve the 10,000th cooperative in the country.
Malaysia currently has 6,857 cooperatives.
"We are not just aiming for the number but also to instil the cooperative culture among the people," he said.
He said 13 cooperatives were suspended since last year for various offences, including engaging in get-rich-quick schemes.
- Bernama
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