By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 4: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Sarawak today urged the public to report complaints about Ramadan bazaars officially rather than just spreading them on social media as official reports will help the ministry act quickly and decisively.
KPDN Sarawak director Matthew Dominic Barin revealed that Sarawak has so far recorded zero cases of price hikes and related offences at Ramadan bazaars, following inspections of 2,682 premises statewide under Ops Pantau 2026 as of Tuesday (March 3).
“Recklessly going viral without proper reports can allow unscrupulous traders to remove evidence and hinder our enforcement operations.
“We urge consumers to report with photo evidence, receipts, and complete premises information so our Rapid Response Squad can act immediately,” he said in a statement following a inspection visit to Stutong Ramadan Bazaar today.
Matthew highlighted that Sarawak’s enforcement team comprises 206 Enforcement Officers (PGK) and 89 Price Monitoring Officers (PPH), operating both in uniform and undercover as shoppers to detect violations.
He added that cumulatively across all sectors from Feb 19 to March 3, KPDN Sarawak received 32 public complaints, mostly related to pricing (24 complaints) and supply issues (4 complaints).
“Our Rapid Response Squad immediately investigated each report, focusing on issues such as missing price tags, controlled items, halal certification, and counterfeit products,” he said.
On compliance, Matthew warned traders against common offences such as failing to display clear price tags under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and using illegal or expired weighing scales under the Weights and Measures Act 1972.
“While prices in Sarawak are generally reasonable, KPDN continuously monitors trends to detect hidden charges. Any reports of excessive pricing will trigger immediate Section 21 notices, forcing traders to disclose actual prices and profit margins,” he said.
He also urged consumers to report violations officially rather than going viral on social media. Reports can be submitted via WhatsApp (+6019-848 8000 or +6019-279 4317), the Ez ADU KPDN mobile app, the official online portal (eaduan.kpdn.gov.my), or the central hotline (1-800-886-800).
Since the start of Ops Pantau 2026, KPDN Sarawak has taken decisive enforcement action against 85 cases, issuing 65 On-The-Spot Compounds (KOTS) and seizing goods from repeat or serious offenders. — DayakDaily
