Benoni: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) will implement Ops Pantau from Feb 19 to March 20 to ensure the supply and prices of goods remain under control throughout Ramadan and ahead of Aidilfitri. Its minister, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, announced that the operation would focus on more frequent and targeted monitoring and enforcement across various retail platforms.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Armizan stated that Ops Pantau is designed for concentrated monitoring and enforcement during Ramadan up to Aidilfitri. The operation will cover retail premises, farmers' markets, night markets, tamu markets, supermarkets, bazaars, and online sales, with an emphasis on essential goods like sugar, chicken, eggs, cooking oil, and wheat flour.

Armizan emphasized that enforcement will adhere to the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and the Trade Descriptions Act. This includes ensuring that sales promotions do not mislead consumers. There will also be a focus on online sales due to changes in consumer shopping habits, ensuring that delivery promises are met.

Reflecting on last year's Ops Pantau, Armizan noted that 70,906 premises were inspected nationwide, leading to 390 recorded cases. Specifically, in Sabah, 3,403 premises were inspected, resulting in 37 cases. The main offences included failure to display price tags, issues related to weights and measures, and selling controlled goods above prescribed prices.

Armizan encouraged the public to report complaints through official platforms to facilitate prompt enforcement actions.