SHAH ALAM (April 23): The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has reminded traders not to exploit the disruption of water supply involving several areas in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor for the next few days by increasing the prices of water containers excessively.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he would not compromise on the matter although water containers were not listed under controlled items.

“We will take legal action against traders found to have increased the price of water containers excessively even though they are not listed under controlled items.

“If we detect any traders increasing the prices of these containers, our enforcement officers will go down and inspect their business premises,” he told reporters after launching the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM)’s Bizfair for the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur-level here today.

Also present was SSM chairman, who is also KPDNHEP secretary-general, Datuk Muez Abd Aziz.

Saifuddin Nasution also called on the public to channel any information to the Ministry if there were traders who had increased the prices of the containers.

“Beginning yesterday, the Selangor KPDNHEP enforcement unit has inspected 73 premises selling water containers around the State and thus far there has been no increase in prices detected.

“The Selangor enforcement team will continue to monitor the prices of water containers until the water supply is fully restored,” he said.

From tomorrow until April 27, a total of 577 areas in the Klang Valley will face water supply disruptions due to improvement works to the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant (LRA SSP2).

The water supply disruption in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Gombak, Kuala Langat and Kuala Selangor begins tomorrow and affects 620,835 of Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) account holders which translates into some 4.2 million people.