PUTRAJAYA, May 14 — Any premises that sells nose and mouth masks at above the market price is committing an offence and firm action can be taken against it, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
This was following a report that a mall in Kelantan, which was charging RM10 for five pieces of nose and mouth coverings, as well as prohibiting customers from entering the premises if they did not purchase the item.
He said the government had previously announced that the ceiling price for nose and mouth masks was at RM1.50 a piece.
“If they sell more than the ceiling price then the shop has committed an offence under the Price Control and Anti-Profit Control Act (AKHAP) 2011, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP).
“So, the KPDNHEP can act against them. I hope the KPDNHEP is aware of this and take immediate action,” he told a daily press conference on the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Putrajaya, here today.
He said this when asked to comment on the actions of some supermarkets which tried to take advantage of the public by forcing them to buy mouth and nose masks at high prices before entering their premises.
In another development, Ismail Sabri said officers or recruits who had completed training in the Royal Malaysian Police Service (PDRM) or Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) services were asked not to worry about their graduation date or ceremony.
He said their training would still be completed on the appointed date but currently only certificate presentations and graduation ceremonies were not allowed.
“This is because it is subject to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Act 342 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342),” he said.
“Don’t worry, they have been confirmed (in the service), only the ceremony cannot be held. The certificates have been signed by me and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah). and we put the ceremony on hold until COVID-19 is over, “he said.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the issue of claims from the police that they were late in receiving the RM200 monthly COVID-19 allowance would be handed over to the PDRM.
“On their (PDRM) allowance, I submit it to the PDRM to settle it,” he said briefly.
Earlier, the media reported that the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador had ordered the Bukit Aman Management Department to facilitate the SOP for the payment of the RM200 allowance to the frontline.
In addition, he had also directed the department to investigate and study the issue, after hearing about the problems concerning the process of payment, for the past two weeks.
