Day: January 12, 2023

ALOR SETAR, Jan 12 (Bernama) — Eight types of food items have been gazetted under the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) in conjunction with 2023 Chinese New Year which will last for 15 days effective from Jan 15-29.

Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the eight items are white pomfret (weighing 200 to 400 gm each); white shrimp (between 41 and 60 pieces per kg); garlic from China; imported potato (China); imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China excluding Beijing); live farm pigs; pork belly and lean and fatty pork.

“Our KPDN enforcement will monitor and control these prices for seven days before the festival, one day during the festival and seven days after the festival,” he said at a press conference during a supermarket (Lotus) visit here today before conducting a survey of essential goods there.

Salahuddin said the maximum retail price set for white pomfret is RM42 per kg; white shrimp (RM39 per kg); white garlic (RM8.50 per kg); potato (RM4 per kg); round cabbage (RM4 per kg); live farm pigs (RM15 per kg); pork belly (RM36 per kg) and lean and fatty pork (RM25 per kg).

“So I hope that no traders or premises would be fined or face action by the authorities…cooperate so that we can give joy to the people, especially when we are facing the cost of living issue now,” he said.

For the record, any trader who commits an offence by not complying with the maximum price scheme rules will be subject to action under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

Meanwhile, he said the supply of eggs was sufficient in the market, but the results of his survey, especially after the launch of Ops Terjah, found certain locations still lack eggs.

In that regard, Salahuddin asked consumers to report directly if they encounter a shortage in their area for immediate action to be taken.

“In the ongoing Ops Terjah thus far, yesterday I received a report in Jempol (shortage of eggs), before that a report in Johor Bahru, and prior to that a report came from the Kedah border.

“So, I have instructed enforcement officers to do an immediate inspection so we can deal with the matter double quick,” he said.

He said as a result of his ministry’s meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) the issue of egg supply is expected to be resolved within three months.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 12 (Bernama) — The implementation of the Green Electricity Tariff (GET) programme that was introduced on Jan 1, 2022, will continue this year with a quota increase of up to 6,600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) compared to 4,500GWh offered last year.

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the quota was offered at the existing premium rate of 3.7 sen per kilowatt hour (kWh).

He said the government also maintained the main features of the GET programme including the provision of incentives for the exemption of Imbalanced Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) charges for a period of six months, starting from January to June this year.

“At the same time, the review of this incentive for the period from July to December 2023 is being carried out by the Energy Commission to ensure clarity and fairness (of the mechanism).

“The review takes into account the aspects of reliability assurance and the sustainability of the electricity supply system holistically,” he said in a statement today.

The GET programme provides domestic and industrial consumers in the peninsula with the option of using electricity generated from renewable energy sources such as hydropower and solar plants.

A total of 1,994 users from the domestic, commercial and industrial categories participated in the GET programme last year.

Nik Nazmi said users who want to subscribe or renew their GET subscription can submit their application via the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) website or contact the nearest TNB’s Kedai Tenaga beginning today.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

NIBONG TEBAL, Jan 12 (Bernama) — The government has allocated RM209 million for the project to upgrade the bridge across Sungai Kerian and the construction of a flyover across the junction of Jalan Persekutuan to Jalan Transkrian in an effort to reduce travelling time during peak hours and overcome flash flood problems.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the date of possession of the project site was July 8, 2021, and it is expected to be completed on Feb 2, 2025.

“In terms of work progress, there has been a little delay by six per cent as of Dec 31, however, there is no change in the project’s cost since the delay is not too long.

“The delay is due to the issue of land repossession and utility diversion. This is being resolved at the local authority level,” he told reporters after visiting the project site, here, today.

He said the main scope of the project involved work to upgrade the road from two lanes to two-way four lanes with U5 standards along 1.35km, which is a project to upgrade the intersection at grade at FT001/FT283 Jalan Transkrian.

Apart from that, it also involves work to build a flyover at the junction of USM FT001 and a new bridge at Sungai Kerian.

He added that the project is set to assist traffic dispersion at part of FT001 from Penang to Perak, reducing travel time at peak hours, overcoming flash flood problems and, as such, ensuring the safety and comfort of road users along the route.

During his visit to Penang, he also spent time at the Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd operations office, where he was briefed on the operations of the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) Northern Region and the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge.

He said the LLM Northern Region has a role in regulating 57 elevated intersections, 12 Rest and Services locations, 23 laybys and six highways along 522.2km.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency