ARMIZAN: ESSENTIAL GOODS SUPPLY ENOUGH, NO NEED FOR PANIC BUYING

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- The public should not engage in panic buying over concerns that the conflict in West Asia could affect import supplies to the country, as the supply of essential goods, particularly for the upcoming Aidilfitri festive season, is sufficient. 

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said his ministry would work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) as well as the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to identify alternative sources of supply should any exporting countries suspend exports due to the conflict.

“I would like to assure the public not to worry and not to engage in panic buying as the supply of essential goods for the festive season is sufficient and already available in the country,” he told a press conference on the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) for Aidilfitri and MADANI Rahmah Sales Programme (PJRM) here today.

He said the SHMMP Aidilfitri 2026 would be implemented from March 14 to 28 to control the prices of 27 essential items during the festive season, which among them include large yellow onions, large red onions, red chillies, long beans, green mustard leaves and coconut milk, while dhal is an additional item this year.

According to Armizan, KPDN enforcement officers would carry out monitoring and enforcement on the ground to ensure compliance with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

In another development, Armizan said KPDN is targeting 1,898 series of PJRM nationwide throughout Ramadan.

“As of March 9, a total of 910 programmes have been implemented while the remaining 988 are scheduled to be held until a day before 1 Syawal,” he said. 

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had instructed that the number of items sold under the programme be increased to at least 50 types in the final week of Ramadan, compared with the previous average of 40 types.

At the same event, Armizan also launched the Service Ihsan MADANI@Petronas AutoExpert (SIM@PAX) programme, which offers vehicle service discounts of between 10 and 30 per cent to help the public reduce vehicle maintenance costs, especially those travelling back to their hometowns for Aidilfitri.

The programme runs from March 10 to 31 and involves 124 Petronas AutoExpert workshop premises nationwide, with bookings available through the Setel application.

-- BERNAMA