The government has decided to lower the ceiling price to RM1 – a 20 sen drop from the current price of RM1.20 per piece.
KUCHING (Aug 13): The new RM1 ceiling price for three-ply face masks will come into effect this Saturday, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi today.
In announcing this at the Parliament lobby in Kuala Lumpur today, Nanta said he hoped the 20-sen reduction in the price of face masks would help ease the burden of lower income groups.
“The government has decided to lower the ceiling price to RM1 from (the present) RM1.20.
“This will assist the B40 group (to afford face masks),” he said.
Nanta on Tuesday announced that the government’s intention to reduce the ceiling price for face masks in the Dewan Rakyat.
According to the Kapit MP again, the price might be further decreased depending on availability of supply.
“If the price goes down further, we can expect it to be around 80 sen or cheaper, maybe 70 sen also.
“But I don’t want to promise anything,” he said, adding that factories would have to take into account how they could profitably produce face masks at these prices.
He also said the wholesale ceiling price for three-ply masks will be reduced from RM1.45 to 90 sen.
Today’s announcement by Nanta came shortly after a news portal reported that Nanta had on Aug 11 approved Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Determination of Maximum Price) (No. 2) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2020 to lower the price of three-ply face masks.
Quoting a latest government gazette, the report stated the maximum retail price is RM1 per unit or RM50 per box, while the maximum wholesale price is RM0.95 per unit or RM47.50 per box.
It said this order applies to three-ply face masks — whether surgical or medical — that are worn either by ear loop, head loop or head tie-on.
This order, known as the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Determination of Maximum Price) (No. 2) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2020, was made by price controller Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad on Aug 10, with the approval of Nanta on the same day.
On a related matter, Nanta said retailers may be fined up to RM500,000 for selling three-ply surgical face masks above RM1 once the price ceiling takes effect.
For individuals committing the offence, he also said they could be compounded up to RM50,000 per offence or imprisoned up to three years and given a maximum fine of RM100,000 if convicted.
He explained this punishment was derived from the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 that also provided for compounds of up to RM250,000 per offence.
He also warned retailers and individual sellers against attempting to circumvent the ceiling price by not displaying the prices.
“For individuals who fail to display the price of the controlled item, they can be fined up to RM50,000 or compounded up to RM25,000, while companies can be fined up to RM100,000 or compounded up to RM50,000,” he added.