MACHANG: Officers from the state Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry posed as buyers to identify errant traders selling sugar and other subsidised items above the government-set prices.
State director Azman Ismail said two officers went to three sundry shops here on Friday following public tip-offs.
"The state domestic trade ministry has received information about sundry shop traders in Machang town who sell subsidised sugar and 1kg cooking oil in polybags at higher than their original prices.
"They then went to the three shops and pretended to buy the items there and were informed by the traders that the sugar was priced at RM3 per kg, up 15 cents from the RM2.85 per kg set by the government.
"The 1kg cooking oil is also sold at RM3 which is up to 50 cents from its original price of RM2.50," he added.
During the 11.30am operation, Azman said the officers seized 126kg of sugar.
Apart from hiking up prices, he added the traders were also found to have failed to display the pricetag of the goods.
He said the three traders were being investigated under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
"I would like to warn traders not to simply hike the prices of the subsidised items or the ministry will not hesitate to take stern action against them for violating the rules," he added.