Minister: RM1.20 face mask price ceiling to be lowered

Soo Wern Jun

5 August 2020 at 11:12 pm·1-min read

Passengers wear masks at a bus station in Kuala Lumpur January 31, 2020. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — The government will lower the RM1.20 maximum price for surgical face masks, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.

He told Parliament that while the RM1.20 limit was already a 30 sen reduction from the previous maximum, the government will further reduce this after considering public response.

“The government has taken steps to lower the ceiling price of face masks. In fact we have already lowered it from RM1.50 to RM1.20.

“But because there has been feedback, we have decided that we will bring down the price lower than RM1.20,” said Alexander in Parliament today.

However, he did not say when this would be effective and what the new ceiling price would be.

The minister was responding to Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) who asked if the government intended to lower the maximum allowable price for the face masks.

Khoo said this would help lessen the burden on the public since face masks have become mandatory in 14 categories of public spaces since August 1.