Though the decision of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs to impose price controls on 17 essential goods nationwide from Nov 5 is to be lauded, it is unsustainable and racist of the ministry to confine the price control period until only Nov 21.

If price control is a policy decision taken to regulate the market after comprehensive study and research on market trends, then, in all fairness, it must and should be extended to cover all festivities and not be narrowly confined to festive periods before Nov 21.

Why are the Christmas and the Chinese New Year periods not included in the price control duration mechanism? I am certain Malaysian consumers would want to know why there is this limitation.

In all fairness, the ministry must also elaborate what the economic or business rationale behind its decision and the subsequent limitation.

Is the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs saying that price fluctuations and trader exploitation will only occur up to Nov 21 and that other festive periods are not affected?

If so, we challenge the ministry to show us relevant justifications for such a narrow and confined policy that does not take into cognisance the fact that price fluctuations, price disparities and other trading irregularities occur during other festive seasons.

The writer is the president of the Consumers' Association of Selangor and Shah Alam (Cassa).