PUTRAJAYA has assigned 2,300 enforcement officers to conduct daily checks on the price of masks, which are in high demand amid a coronavirus outbreak that has sickened 18 in Malaysia and killed more than 1,000 in China and other nations.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told The Malaysian Insight that several traders have been fined for hiking prices.

“When they sell at higher than the controlled price, we take action immediately.”

He said the daily checks also allow the ministry to get feedback on supply.

Nine premises were recently slapped with compounds amounting to RM21,700 for increasing the price of masks.

A box of N95 masks is set at a maximum wholesale price of RM100, while a piece retails at RM6.

A box of single-ply masks (ear loop) is set at a maximum wholesale price of RM5 and retails at RM7.

As for two-ply masks, the maximum wholesale price is set at RM8 per box and they retail at RM10 a box or 20 sen apiece.

Three-ply masks, meanwhile, sell at 80 sen per piece.

Putrajaya has told mask manufacturers to step up production to ensure adequate supply. This could see up to 400,000 pieces being made daily.

Malaysia yesterday recorded its 18th case of the coronavirus, which was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December.

To date, the death toll stands at more than 1,000 in China, with more than 42,000 infected in the country alone. Cases have also been recorded in more than two dozen countries. – February 11, 2020.