Police to help monitor prices of goods, says Zahid

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will help the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry monitor the prices of essential goods.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said PDRM would help the ministry go after wholesalers and retailers who indiscriminately hike prices.

"We will send policemen in mufti posing as customers to check prices of goods and act within our area of jurisdiction," he said after attending a meet-the-people session with representatives of Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) in Bagan Datoh today.

He said PDRM had a mechanism to check on prices of goods sold by wholesalers to retailers.

"The prices paid by wholesalers are actually low. However, the goods are sold at very high prices to retailers, forcing them to raise their prices," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said the move was not aimed at harassing traders but to help the government, following accusations hurled by traders that the government had raised the prices of goods, when they were the actual culprits.

"I am doing this out of concern at what is happening in the market now.

"I do not want to interfere in the affairs of consumerism because it is under the jurisdiction of another ministry but we cooperate within our authority," he added.

- Bernama