KOTA KINABALU: Chicken in Sabah still cost the same the first day after the price was floated again.
A check around several supermarkets and on a supplier saw prices remain the same as previous days, somewhere between RM11.60 and RM13 per kg for the normal slaughtered white chickens.
Live chickens cost about RM8 to RM9 per kg for the normal types.
Laindey Limpuong, a chicken supplier from Keningau, said he will maintain the price as required and go with the market price of chicken for now.
Customers said they hope there would not be too much of a spike in prices after this, and that the price of chicken and other essentials would go down instead.
"I am not too sure what a price float would mean but I just hope it would not cause a spike in the price of chicken,” said 62-year-old homemaker Sheilla Jacob from Penampang.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director for Sabah, Georgie Abas, said although the chicken subsidy has been stopped starting Nov 1, the ministry will continue to monitor the price of goods under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
"This is to ensure that traders do not make unreasonable profits and manipulate the price of chicken in the market,” he said in a statement after surveying the prices of chicken in some areas around the city.
He said it was found that apart from the maintained prices, the stock of chicken is still sufficient and was not causing any form of panic buying.
"Our officials will conduct patrols and checks on a regular basis to ensure that the sales of all food stock, essentials and other controlled items are in accordance with existing laws,” said Abas.
Awareness and educational programmes will also be conducted so that traders operate ethically and customers know their rights, he added.
For the record, the ministry's arm in Sabah has conducted 68,400 inspections on premises statewide between January and Oct 31 this year.
From this, a total of 1,162 cases have been recorded under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, Metric Weights and Measures Act 1972 and Supply Controls Act 1961 with a total compound of RM189,450 issued, said Abas.
He said the total seizures amounted to over RM5.6mil and fines of RM123,000 were issued.
In warning all traders to abide by all laws, he said ministry officials will be on alert for any suspected wrongdoing.
He also urged the public to provide information of suspected wrongdoings or make enquiries via WhatsApp at 019-279 4317 or 019-848 8000; reach out to the complaints portal at e-aduan.kpdn.gov.my; call centre at 1-800-886-800; email e-aduan@kpdn.gov.my; contact the Enforcement Command Centre at 03-8882 6088/6245; or write to the nearest ministry office.
