KUCHING: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is looking into ways to ensure that Covid-19 virus does not spread through food imports.
Its minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi assured that his ministry was playing its part in the global effort to address the Covid-19 pandemic.
He explained that at the moment, the ministry was not taking any chances with imported foods from affected countries.
“There is no clear-cut guidelines on actions to be taken as of yet. However, we will make sure that the virus will not spread into or out of our country.
“What I can assure is that we will look into every aspect of how this disease can spread. If importing foods can play a role in the diseases’ spread, then we will have to look at that and make sure it does not spread through food imports,” he told reporters at a press conference at The Spring shopping mall here, yesterday.
Nanta revealed his ministry was trying to resolve the limited availability of face masks.
“We are fully aware of people taking advantage of the Covid-19 situation and trying to make a big profit out of it.
“It has not been decided yet but, we might even allow masks to be sold at a higher price as long as the supply is sufficient for the public,” he said.
Nanta explained that the higher price would deter irresponsible parties from hoarding the item.
“Implementing officers will disallow any party from taking advantage of the Covid-19 situation. We cannot endanger the peoples’ lives and make a profit out of it.
“This is the purpose of the ministry — to ensure proper enforcement of our ordinance and laws is carried out as well as to make sure consumers are protected, especially in life-and -death situation such as now,” he added.
