Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
KULIM: The implementation of Sales and Services Tax (SST) yesterday went smoothly except for complaints on the prices of food in restaurants throughout the country.
However, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister (KPDNHEP) Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said these had been handled by his officers and himself.
“It was explained that restaurants could impose the tax and our investigations found that the prices on the receipts were correct and the outlets were not increasing their prices indiscriminately.
“I have instructed the National Price Council with more than 1,000 price checkers to focus on food outlets to ensure that no business operator cheat,” he said in a press conference on Enforcement of Pricing Under the Pricing Operations 5.0 here yesterday.
Earlier, Saifuddin visited a Toyota vehicle maintenance company, Syarikat Telagamas Motor Sdn Bhd.
Also present was the ministry’s enforcement director Datuk Mohd Roslan Mahayuddin, Kedah Customs director Datuk Johari Alifiah and Kedah KPDNHEP director Mohamed Fitri Hassan.
Saifuddin said beginning yesterday, his ministry has been carrying out Operasi Catut 5.0 throughout the country, which is a continuation of Operasi Catut 4.0 which began on June 1.
“We are conducting checks and enforcing action in all business chains in the country, and taking legal action on those who do not comply,” he said.
This include pricing or gaining exorbitant profits under Section 14 (1) of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, price tagging, or vague signs of price, receipts and invoices.
He added that the ministry had started an operations room from 7 am to 10 pm for members of the public to lodge complaints and make enquiries through the toll free line 1-800-886-800.
Members of the public can also email their complaints to the ministry’s official portal http://eaduan.kpdnkk.gov.my, SMS to 15888 by typing KPDNKK ADUAN, smartphone application EzAdu KPDNKK as well as to the KPDNKK Twitter and Facebook accounts.
“However, these complaints must be clear and contain details such as the name and address of the venue the complaint is about, details about the goods and price, as well as receipts for us to investigate,” he said.
He also said the role of the ministry in the implementation of SST was to tackle profiteering and price manipulation activities to ensure that there is no wanton increase in price of goods, especially involving stocks during the 0-per cent GST period.
Meanwhile, he said, the ministry will introduce laws which control the price of services for vehicle maintenance so that consumers are not burdened. — Bernama