The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism warned that action would be taken against traders for failing to abide by the zero per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST). — Picture by Miera Zulyana

PUTRAJAYA, May 28 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism has warned traders to abide by the zero per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is effective from June 1 or face stern action.

Its enforcement director Datuk Mohd Roslan Mahayudin said action would be taken against errant traders under the Enforcement of Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 1999 and the Trade Descriptions Act 2011.

He said the ministry would work with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) to ensure the traders abide by the regulation.

“If before this, an item is priced at RM100, on June 1, we want to see the price offered by the trader at RM94 (minus six per cent),” he said in a press conference here today.

He also urged consumers to check the receipts each time they pay for the goods bought to make sure that the GST is at zero per cent.

Mohd Roslan said this was because the price on the price tags of the goods on the display racks and that on the receipt may differ as representatives of the traders’ associations had informed the ministry in a briefing session held on May 25 that they needed more time to change the price tags, especially in the hypermarkets.

“On June 1, the price tags may still show RM100, we allow that, but the consumer must make sure that on the receipt, the price is RM94.

“Consumers must be alert and ensure that the receipt shows that the GST is zero per cent, not the standard-rated six per cent any more. If it is still there, they can lodge a report with the JKDM or the KPDNKK,” he said.

Mohd Roslan said members of the public can lodge their complaints with the KPDNKK either through the 1Malaysia One Call Centre (1MOCC) at telephone number 03-80008000, the toll-free lnformation and Strategic Operations Movement Centre (PIGOS) line at 03-88826088/6245, the smartphone application Ez ADU or send an email to [email protected]

Asked how much time the traders had to change the price tags, Mohd Roslan said the association representatives asked for two to three months, but the ministry would make a decision on it soon.

He added that since last week, the ministry had mobilised its staff throughout the country to monitor and collect data on the price of goods with the six per cent GST, to be compared to the price with zero per cent GST on June 1.

Commenting on the increase in price of goods which went viral on the social media recently, Mohd Roslan said this was the normal situation during the start of each Ramadan month due to the high market demand.

“However, we find that the situation will return to normal for products like chicken, meat and vegetables. In the case of vegetables, it is subject to supply and weather conditions,” he said.

On the festive season price control scheme during Aidilfitri, he said the ministry would implement it on June 8.

He added that from January until April this year, the ministry had recorded 1,194 cases out of checks conducted on 183,395 premises in the country, with the total value of confiscated goods at RM882,192 and RM180,430 in compounds. — Bernama