Ministry monitoring prices following Thailand-Cambodia border clashes
Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said proactive measures were already in place.
She said these included daily price monitoring and enforcement operations nationwide to mitigate 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.
"We have a database and price trend graphs. If there are any abnormal changes, we will detect them immediately. So far there's none," she said during an Op Kesan 4.0 inspection at a hypermarket here today.
Tensions escalated sharply on Thursday when Thailand and Cambodia engaged in their deadliest military clashes in over a decade.
The renewed conflict is centred around the disputed Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos converge.
Fuziah said 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.
On Op Kesan 4.0, Fuziah said the operation aimed 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 said.
She clarified that daily necessities like food and beverages were not subject to SST, even if they were 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.
"So far, we have not received any complaints. This is a proactive measure to prevent abuse," she added.
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