THE Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has added 20 more items to the 2021 Hari Raya Puasa festive season maximum price control scheme (SHMMP) list, bringing the total to 32.

Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the second phase of the 2021 Hari Raya Puasa SHMMP, which involves items from the vegetable, dry food and sea product categories, will be enforced from May 6.

“The second phase will run for 15 days, from May 6 to 20, which is seven days before and after the celebration,” he said in a statement today.

Prior to this, the ministry has announced 12 items from four categories, namely chicken, chicken eggs, meat and sea products, to be implemented for 30 days, from April 21 to May 20, in an effort to curb price hike of essential goods during Ramadan and ahead of Hari Raya Puasa.

Under the second phase, the items include tomatoes, red chillies, imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China, excluding Beijing cabbage), long beans, green choy sum, long eggplant, cucumbers, old ginger, coconuts (wholesale), grated coconut (retail), imported red onions (China), onions (Holland), garlic (China), dried chillies, imported potatoes (China) and groundnuts. 

Nanta said the Hari Raya Puasa SHMMP is based on data-driven marketing with evidence based on market price and consumers’ feedback.

“The 2021 Hari Raya Puasa SHMMP has been implemented to stabilise the prices of critical items that are mainly used during the festival season and to enable as many people as possible to celebrate in a peaceful, happy and harmonious atmosphere,” he said. – Bernama, May 1, 2021.