Gerakan Youth has urged the government to listen to the people before implementing “archaic” policies or rulings that will cause great inconveniences to the people, especially the petty traders.

Gerakan Youth deputy chief Oh Tong Keong said provision shopkeepers, petty traders and grocers had expressed unhappiness over the requirement for a retail licence to sell price-controlled items such as sugar, flour and palm-based cooking oil, citing the new ruling as “cumbersome and troublesome.”

“We know that the government wants to find ways to stop hoarding or prevent smuggling of price-controlled items into neighbouring countries. Proper consultation should be held with relevant parties involved including manufacturers, suppliers, petty traders and consumers, so that an amicable and practical solution can be found,” he said in a statement.

Oh said that Gerakan Youth had conveye the people’s message on the issue to Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Deputy Minister Datuk Tan Lian Hoe.

He said the requirement for a retail licence not only would not solve the problem of hoarding and smuggling of controlled goods, it would increase the burden of the traders and the people and open for graft. “We agree that action should be taken against those suspected of hoarding controlled items but more effective and practical measures are required.”