Gov’t increases face mask ceiling prices

CORONAVIRUS | The federal government has increased the ceiling price for three-ply face masks along with the ban on face mask exports with two federal gazettes.

The new Customs (Prohibition of Exports) (Amendment) (No. 2) order 2020 and Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (determination of maximum price) (no. 2) order 2020 come into effect today and list the new prices.

Meanwhile, the price for one-ply earloop face masks, two-ply earloop face masks, and N95 face masks, remain the same.

According to the gazettes, the price of one-ply face masks is RM0.15 per unit, or RM7 per box; two-ply face masks is RM0.20 per unit, or RM10 per box; and N95 masks is RM6 per unit.

The price of three-ply face masks is now RM2 per unit, or RM100 per box.

The government has also completely banned the export of face masks to all other countries.

The export ban comes after many people had problems obtaining face masks as demand was outstripping supply in the midst of the rising coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Yesterday, the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society urged the government to increase the ceiling prices after several pharmacists were fined for selling face masks at increased prices.

It’s president Amrahi Buang had said a review in ceiling prices was needed as the cost of face mask production had increased with the high cost of raw materials and other related costs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The manufacturers will not be able to produce and meet the current controlled ceiling price at retail outlets.

“The retailers are now having a problem to sell the face masks at the current controlled ceiling price. This results in lack or no supply from the retailers to the rakyat,” he had said.

To date, Malaysia has 900 recorded Covid-19 cases with two fatalities. However, 75 of the patients have recovered.

Meanwhile, during a press conference at the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry in Putrajaya today, Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said that the move is meant to increase the supply of face masks in Malaysia, following a shortage of the valuable item in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nanta said that the move seeks to encourage businesses to import, as well as produce, face masks when they are allowed to sell the products at a higher ceiling price compared to previously.

Taking the example of three-ply face masks where its original ceiling price of 80 cents had been raised to RM2, he said this is to encourage more imports and local production of the crucial masks in light of a rise in production costs to manufacture the masks.

“If the ceiling price is limited to 80 cents, then producers and factories would not be able to afford anymore to produce due to the increased price of materials to make the masks.

“With the ceiling price raised to RM2, this would encourage imports (of masks) into our country. We see this as a step to tackle the shortage of face masks,” Nanta said.

He said that coupled with the government’s move to forbid exports of face masks from Malaysia to other countries, he expressed hope that these steps would increase the supply of face masks in the country. - Mkini