KOTA KINABALU: Every single complaint reported to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry by consumers will be investigated.

Its Sabah director Georgie Abas assured that the complaints would be probed under the existing laws.

“And every complaint on price and controlled goods will be investigated within 24 hours,” he said, on Sunday (June 16).

He said the ministry's Sabah offices have received 1,073 complaints on various issues between Jan 1 and June 15 this year, adding these were reported through its e-Aduan system.

“Most of the complaints, or 384, were on issues regarding prices such as hiking of prices, no price labels and selling over the ceiling price.

After this, most of the complaints are linked to online transactions. Traders are reminded not to raise the prices of goods at will or by an unreasonable margin without any solid excuse,” Abas said.

Meanwhile, he said they carried out an inspection to check on the prices of raw goods at the general market here on Sunday (June 16).

He said this is in preparation for Hari Raya Aidiladha on Monday (June 17), adding that this is to ensure traders do not hike their prices indiscriminately as well as to see if there is sufficient supply of raw items.

The check was centred on items like vegetables, chicken, eggs, meat, grated coconuts and coconut milk which were necessities for the celebration.

“We found that there was enough supply of the items and no price hikes,” he said.

Abas said that the Sabah KPDN had inspected 31,206 business premises between Jan 1 and June 15, and that they had taken action in 544 cases.

“These cases also involved seizures of items valued at RM5,181.595.36.

“In the same period, we also collected compounds amounting to RM62,300 as well as RM20,000 from court fines,” he

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/06/16/all-consumer-complaints-will-be-investigated-says-sabah-domestic-trade-ministry