WE refer to the director-general of health’s statement allowing private hospitals to charge for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Firstly, well done to the complainant who raised the issue of a private hospital selling masks at RM11.20 per piece. Kudos also goes to the Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Ministry for acting quickly in investigating the complaint, subsequently imposing a RM200,000 compound under the Price Control and Anti Profiteering Act (PCAPA) against the said private hospital for selling or offering a price-controlled item for more than the set maximum price, and also for profiteering under the same Act.

We all know the control price for a piece of face mask is RM1.50. So imagine, profits of almost ten folds just for a face mask!

The director-general of health has now said private hospitals are allowed to charge for PPE but the issue here is not of charging for the PPE but the irresponsible and unethical behaviour of private hospitals for indulging in profiteering activities.

The important question which needs to be answered here is, how could a private hospital charge RM11.20 for a piece of mask when the same item is controlled at RM1.50 per piece? What controls are in place to ensure that other PPE are not similarly charged?

The Malaysia Consumers Movement calls upon the government to formulate a mechanism to control charges imposed by private hospitals, strictly applying the PCAPA to protect consumers. This is important as private hospitals are now beginning to behave like unethical retailers. – June 16, 2020.

* Darshan Singh Dhillon is Malaysia Consumers Movement president.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.