KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has imposed RM571.5 million in fines on 107 companies involved in "cartels" and another two for monopolies which abused their positions.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Ali said this was recorded through enforcement on anti-competition actions by the ministry over the past nine years.
He said, in 2015, MyCC put an end to an ice manufacturing cartel involving 24 companies in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya which were found to have "set" the price of ice, hitting them with a penalty of RM252,250.
"The same year, MyCC also took down a cartel of bread and pastry producers in Sibu that involved 14 countries, imposing a penalty of RM247,730.
"MyCC also acted against a cartel comprising five companies which operated ferry services in Kuala Perlis and Langkawi in 2021 which involved the transportation of goods, including food items, to the island. These companies were given a fine of RM2.19 million.
"In December last year, MyCC imposed a fine of RM415.5 million on five chicken feed producers which acted as a cartel that set the quantum of increases in prices for chicken feed," he said.
Armizan said this in a written reply in Parliament to a question from Muhammad Ismi Mat Taib (PN-Parit).