KUCHING, Jan 31 — Heavy fines await traders and retailers who raise the price of 12 controlled food items in order to make a quick buck this Chinese New Year.Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen said federal enforcement officers will be on patrol to catch businesses that raise the prices of the controlled items between January 30 to February 8.“They should not think that the enforcement officers from the ministry will not go around and check the prices of the controlled items,” Chong told reporters after launching the nationwide food price control scheme at the Stutong Community Market here.

He said the traders and shopkeepers should not pretend to be “obedient” when the officers are making spot checks, but immediately put up higher price tags the moment the officers leave.“We have deployed 1,400 officers nation-wide to conduct spot checks,” Chong said.The 12 controlled food items are live chicken, standard chicken (slaughtered and dressed chicken with feet, head, gizzard and liver), super chicken (slaughtered and dressed chicken without feet, head, gizzard and liver), eggs (grades A, B and C), imported cabbage from Indonesia and China, white pomfret (bawal putih), garlic imported from China, large banana prawns, pork belly and pork (lean and fat)Chong said the ministry has also fixed the price of live pigs at farm level.

The federal government has also prohibited the export of four species of wild-caught fish and shrimp to meet the shortage in the market during the monsoon and festive seasons, including Chinese New Year.The fish not allowed for export from January 1 to February 28 include kembung (mackerel), selar (trevally), pelaling (Indian mackerel) and bawal (pomfret).Chong said these fish species are highly sought after in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Thailand and Taiwan during the Chinese New Year.“If we allow the fish and shrimp to be exported, then there will be shortage in Malaysia, and little is left for us,” he said