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LUNDU, October 31 – Market competition will continue to drive down the price of Covid-19 self-test kits, said Home Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said the ministry had already approved letters of appointment issued in more than 2,500 premises to sell the Covid-19 self-test kits
“The more premises there are designated to sell, the more brands of self-test kits will be imported. This will lead to stiff competition and lower prices further, â€he told a press conference after visiting BS Supermarket, Lundu today.
Nonetheless, Nanta said the government will continue to set a ceiling price for Covid-19 self-test kits to ensure that companies do not take advantage to raise the price once there is an increase in the price. request for kits.
“In fact, the ceiling price we have targeted is already higher than the price of some of the test kits currently sold on the market. This bodes well for consumers and the market as a whole.
Nanta said setting a price cap would stabilize the price of Covid-19 self-test kits in the market.
He also reminded the business community to be aware of the government’s plan to further lower the ceiling price for Covid-19 self-test kits in order to avoid being accused of “surprising” the community without prior consultation.
On Friday, Nanta said a new ceiling price for self-test kits would be announced within a week. The current ceiling retail price announced in September is set at RM19.90.
Meanwhile, during a visit to BS supermarket in Lundu here today, Nanta presented a “Store Price Reasonable Price” certificate to General Manager of Supermarket Lai Boon Seng.
Nanta said the certificate was presented to recognize ethnic business owners who sell reasonably priced products to benefit customers, especially those located in rural areas.
He said there were 139 stores statewide that had received the Reasonably Priced Store Certificate, with 40 stores in Kuching and Samarahan, Serian (three), Sri Aman (nine), Sarikei (17), Mukah (10), Sibu (11), Kapit (eight), Bintulu (seven), Miri (19), Limbang (10) and Lawas (five).
In addition, as part of the upcoming Deepavali celebration, Nanta said that only four major cities in the state, namely Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, would be subject to the food price control program.
“We are only implementing the price control system in these four cities because the state’s Indian population is not large.”
“For example, in places like Kapit there may not be a lot of people celebrating Deepavali, except maybe Indian teachers transferred from Peninsula Malaysia.”
Nanta said such an approach was different from the previous one, but was more practical.
During the visit to the BS supermarket, there was also a presentation of food aid by Tanjung Datu MP Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu to the group in need. – Borneo Post
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