Nanta hopes more businesses will lower the price of Covid-19 self-testing kits

Nanta (third right) giving a thumbs-up to the initiative taken by 99 Speedmart during the opening of the supermarket’s 2000th branch in Puncak Sentul, Kuala Lumpur today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25: Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi hopes that more business premises will lower the price of Covid-19 self-testing kits in the near future.

He expressed this following the initiative taken by 99 Speedmart, which has started to sell the kit at RM4.90 per unit.

“Taken into consideration of the Malaysian Family (Keluarga Malaysia) spirit as aspired by Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, among the strategies taken by the ministry is to allow more shopping malls and chain stores to sell these kits after obtaining the approval from the Medical Device Authority (MDA) and Ministry of Health (KKM).

“At this juncture, KPDNHEP has given permission to 7,302 premises throughout the country to sell the Covid-19 self-testing kit which were allowed by MDA and KKM,” he said after officiating the opening of the 2000th branch of 99 Speedmart at Puncak Sentul and Buy Malaysian Product Campaign here today.

Nanta said KPDNHEP has always listened to the people’s grouses who were affected by the sales of the kit which were sold at a high price previously.

Through the effort of the ministry, he said the retail ceiling price has been reduced to RM19.90 from RM39.90.

Through discussions between KPDNHEP and KKM, Nanta agreed that the price of the kit should be reduced further without compromising the quality of the self-testing kit, so that the people can purchase it and undergo frequent self-testing, he opined. — DayakDaily