Datuk James (left)
PAITAN: The government will not compromise, rather it will impose strict measures and maximum fines on Pakistani traders who increase the price of goods sold arbitrarily.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Community Development and People’s Well-being (KPMKR) Datuk James Ratib in a surprise survey around Botition Town, Sugut Paitan on Monday.
“I as the Exco of the Ministry of Domestic Trade (KPDN) insist that I will not compromise with any Pakistani shop that raises prices arbitrarily to villagers and also to other customers.
“If I find the same thing happening, I ask the KPDN to close their business premises and fine the offenders as much as possible.
“I, together with the KPDN, will monitor at all times the issue of price increases or transactions in Pakistani shops in the Sugut area,” he said.
James, who is also the Sugut Assemblyman, said he had made a special inspection visit together with the KPDN Sandakan Branch in the shops owned by Pakistani traders in the Sugut area, in Paitan Botition, where he found that most of the Pakistani shops in Sugut had increased the prices of their goods.
“For example, one piece of cement nail, in the price list of their sale items is RM1 for every 8 nails. But when the villagers come to buy, it is sold at a price of RM0.20 per piece.
“I got a report from the villagers that they are selling at a higher price whereas the price list is RM1 for 8 pieces.
“After checking, it turned out that it was written that the displayed price was not the same as the selling price and the villagers had reported this to me after finding that these nails were not sold per kilogram but according to the price per unit,” he said.
Therefore, he asked the KPDN to conduct regular routine inspections of all Pakistani shops in Paitan because the unfortunate victims are the villagers.
“Another situation where the price of cooking oil is displayed elsewhere but in the box. This means that when customers ask for cooking oil, they arbitrarily increase the price of subsidized cooking oil as they please.
“The villagers do not know that the selling price of this cooking oil product has been set at no more than RM2.50 per packet. However, if there are villagers who do not understand this, the trader can increase the price to RM3 or RM4 per packet.
“Understood, there are also customers from among those who work in the estates who do not know the real price, this dishonest Pakistani trader may be able to sell at a price of up to RM5 per packet,” he stressed.
Alhamdulillah, James thanked the KPDN Sandakan led by Adli John for being so aggressive in monitoring the increase in the price of goods by Pakistani traders in Sugut.
