Government launches prize scheme to ensure fair prices during Kaamatan and Gawai Celebrations

Armizan at the event

23 may 2025

KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has announced a new maximum price scheme to help consumers enjoy affordable essentials during the upcoming Harvest Festival Festival (Kaamatan) and Gawai Day celebrations.

The implementation period of this scheme has been set considering the interests of both parties, namely consumers and the trading community. Consumers will be able to enjoy essential goods at reasonable prices, while traders will not be burdened by an excessively long enforcement period.

Its Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali shared that from 27 May to 2 June 2025, the Kaamatan Festival Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) will be in effect, followed by the Gawai Day SHMMP from 29 May to 4 June 2025. The scheme spans a total of 7 days, covering the peak days of each festival and the days immediately before and after, to ensure prices remain stable during the busy festive period.

For 2025, the Kaamatan Festival SHMMP has identified ten types of goods, an increase from eight items in 2024. The additional items are imported large yellow onions and imported large red onions. Similarly, the Gawai Day SHMMP will cover eleven types of goods, up from eight in the previous year, with the new additions being coconut kernels, grated coconut, and coconut milk.

“The determination of the types of goods and their maximum prices was made following discussions between KPDN, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM), and relevant agencies, taking into account input from industry stakeholders.”

He shared this during a press conference on the maximum price of goods during the Kaamatan and Gawai festivals, at Dewan Pisompuruan Kg Kobuni Inanam today.

For the Kaamatan Festival 2025, the controlled price goods include live pigs at farm level, pork (meat and fat), pork belly, imported buffalo meat from India (excluding areca nut stems), chicken wings, curly dried chilli, small shallots from India, garlic from China, large imported yellow onions, and large imported shallots.

During Gawai Day 2025, the list expands to include live old chickens, imported round cabbage from Indonesia and China (excluding Beijing cabbage), garlic from China, dried curly chilli, coconut seeds, grated coconut, and coconut milk.

The enforcement of the scheme will be carried out under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 [Act 723], which authorises the setting of maximum prices. Consumers can verify the approved prices on the KPDN website. Enforcement officers will be strategically stationed at public markets, farmers’ markets, guest markets, and shopping centres to monitor compliance. The approach will be balanced, combining education, warnings, and enforcement actions to ensure traders understand their legal obligations and uphold ethical business practices.

The government urges all traders to comply with the maximum prices and to display the official pink labels on price-controlled goods. Strict penalties await those who breach the regulations. Offenders selling goods above the prescribed maximum price may face fines of up to RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to three years, or both, with additional fines of up to RM50,000 through compounds. Companies found guilty can be fined up to RM500,000 or fined via compounds of up to RM250,000. Traders failing to display the pink price tags may be fined up to RM10,000 for individuals and up to RM20,000 for companies, or face compounds of up to RM5,000 and RM10,000 respectively.

“KPDN will continue collaborating with KPKM and industry players to ensure a sufficient supply of the regulated goods throughout the festive season. Furthermore, the establishment of the Technical Committee for Stabilising the Supply and Prices of Daily Necessities will facilitate proactive measures to address issues related to price fluctuations and supply shortages, helping to ease the cost of living for the people during this period,” he stated.