The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living is prepared to manage any price fluctuations stemming from the ongoing violent clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border.
Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh stated that proactive measures are already in place.
She elaborated that these measures include daily price monitoring and enforcement operations nationwide, aimed at mitigating any inflationary impact from potential disruptions to regional trade flows.
“We are aware that global issues can influence local prices. That is why our enforcement officers and price monitoring teams are on the ground every day,” she said during an Op Kesan 4.0 inspection at a hypermarket here today.
“We have a database and price trend graphs. If there are any abnormal changes, we will detect them immediately. So far, there’s none.”
Tensions escalated sharply on Thursday when Thailand and Cambodia engaged in their deadliest military clashes in over a decade.
The renewed conflict is centered around the disputed Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos converge.
Fuziah affirmed that monitoring efforts would continue, not only in response to armed conflicts but also in anticipation of any external factor that could affect trade and supply chains.
Regarding Op Kesan 4.0, Fuziah explained that the operation aims to deter profiteering and protect consumers from unjustified price increases in light of the expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST).
“We have conducted 950 inspections nationwide, covering 3,965 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). In Kedah alone, 62 inspections involving 240 SKUs have been carried out,” she noted.
She clarified that daily necessities like food and beverages are not subject to SST, even if they are imported.
“There should be no impact on essential items. However, our enforcement teams are on the ground to deter traders from exploiting the tax expansion to raise prices,” she added.
“So far, we have not received any complaints. This is a proactive measure to prevent abuse.”
