GEORGE TOWN, Jan 15 – The ministry’s Penang deputy enforcement chief (I) Chin Ching Chung hold a spot check on seafood price hike at Batu Lancang market here on Thursday. He said there were 3 notices had been issues to 3 prawn sellers which flipped over the price tag had different price in same gram.
A trader who just returned from lunch to his unmanned stall in the market was shocked to to find the ministry’s enforcement personnel inspecting his stall on yesterday. He denied and keep arguing to the enforcement personnel which selling big prawns at RM50 per 500gm as shown on the tag. He then flipped over the tag where the price shown was just RM18 per 500gm.
However, he also failed to convince the enforcement personnel who issued him a notice to explain in writing and the receipt as attach within seven days for selling the prawns at such a high price. Chin said if they fail to justify the increases of the price for the crustaceans, they could be charged for profiteering under Section 14 of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 which carries a maximum three-year jail sentence and RM100,000 fine or both.
