THE government has agreed to give a one-week grace period to traders and pharmacies to clear their existing stock of Covid-19 self-test kits, effective tomorrow.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Rosol Wahid said the ministry hoped that the move would help merchants and pharmacy proprietors minimise their profit loss.

“We understand that they had bought the kits at prices of more than RM16 and RM19, so we give them a week to clear their existing stock so that they do not incur huge losses when the ceiling price comes into effect.

“Monitoring operations will still be conducted by the ministry starting tomorrow, but legal action will only be taken against errant traders and pharmacy proprietors after a week,” he said, after visiting a freshwater fish-breeding project at Felda Bukit Bading today.

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has set the retail ceiling price for Covid-19 self-test kits at RM19.90 per set while the wholesale ceiling price has been set at RM16 per set, effective tomorrow.

Stern action will be taken against traders who fail to comply with the rules set under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011. – Bernama, September 4, 2021.