Gerakan Youth has asked the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry to reconsider the requirement for traders to have retail licences to sell price-controlled items until the traders’s grouses have been settled amicably.

Gerakan Youth deputy secretary-general H’ng Chee Wey also urged the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants not to carry out its decision to boycott selling sugar, wheat flour and cooking oil because “the boycott will greatly affect consumers and rakyat.”

H’ng urged the ministry, traders, sundry shopkeepers, consumers and other stake holders to put the rakyat’s interest’s first. “They must discuss the problem together to find an amicable and workable solution.”

He said the requirement for a retail licence would not be able to solve the problem of hoarding and smuggling of controlled goods but also 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.”

He said the ministry should heed sentiments on the ground, especially from sundry shopkeepers who have objected strongly against the need for a retail licence, describing the requirement as “regressive and cumbersome.”

H’ng said the new ruling would require traders to keep stock of their sales, hence resulting in unnecessary paper work.

On the shortage of sugar supply in the country, H’ng urged the ministry to address the problem promptly.

On Sunday, Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said retailers applying for the Controlled Items Retail Licence would not be charged any fee from July 1. Before this, they were charged a fee of RM10 for the licence.

He said the government had abolished the fee following a meeting between the ministry and the Federation of Malaysian Retailers Association in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.