No excuse for unjustified price hikes under SST, Johor traders warned
The operation codenamed Op Kesan 4.0, is a statewide enforcement blitz, which took effect early this month.
State ministry director Lilis Saslinda Pornomo said enforcement officers had conducted checks on 48 business premises involving 235 items, which was carried out under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
During a walkabout at a supermarket in Larkin Junction here today, Lilis said the 48 premises were issued price information verification notices to obtain detailed data on cost, pricing, and profit margins.
"The ministry also received four complaints related to suspected profiteering under the operation, and investigations are ongoing.
"The operations main focus is to ensure that businesses do not exploit SST adjustments as a blanket excuse to increase prices without justification," she said in a statement today.
The enforcement operation will also monitor four key elements, which includes items and services affected by SST changes, businesses above the SST registration threshold, price movement timelines aligned with SST enforcement dates, and profit margins to detect unreasonable mark-ups.
Lilis warned that offenders found guilty of profiteering can be fined up to RM100,000 or jailed up to three years, or both. Companies face fines of up to RM500,000.
She urged businesses to assess the four elements before adjusting prices or charges and reminded the public to report suspicious hikes through official channels, including the Ez ADU app, WhatsApp, and the KPDN e-complaint portal.
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