DON'T pinch consumers too hard by increasing the prices of essential goods excessively.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Datuk Tan Lian Hoe had this to say when emphasising her advise, "Don't pinch people so hard until they become blue black."

She was obviously referring to traders who unscrupulously increased the prices of goods they supplied, just to earn a fast buck.

Tan who led a team on a spot check at Mydin USJ1, was surprised to find many of the items offered at the hypermarket were lower in price compared to others.

"There has been an increase of almost 60sen in the price of chicken per kilogramme but Mydin has managed to keep the price at RM4.89 per kg."

"The Ministry just had a meeting with the wholesalers and breeders urging them to lower the price of chicken but we have yet to receive any response from them," she said to reporters.

Consumers on the other hand, according to Tan, had to be smart.

"Buy from outlets which offer you the best price. Some traders have taken advantage of the swine flu outbreak to raise their prices of other meat to reap more profits."

"Take for example Mydin. They are selling tomatoes at RM1.19 per kg and this is still profitable. So why should others sell their products at a higher price," she said.

The government does not set the ceiling price for chicken except during festive season to deter profiteering.

Tan gave the assurance that if prices of chicken went excessively too high, the Government would intervene to ensure it remained stable.

The deputy minister during the rounds of the hypermarket was also visibly quite impressed with Mydin's ability to offer bunches of leafy vegetables like spinach, kangkung and sawi at only 16 sen a bunch.

Mydin Hypermarkets managing director Datuk Ameer Mydin who was present said the visit was a pleasant surprise from Tan who had last visited the same hypermarket as Deputy Minister of Information.

"Why is the price of chicken going up? Prices of petrol have not gone up. The demand for chicken is not high and yet people are taking advantage by raising the prices exorbitantly."

"Mydin runs its business with reasonable margin. That's why we can offer good prices for our items," Ameer said.

When asked if chicken sold in hypermarkets is halal, Ameer said many, if not all hypermarkets sell halal chicken.

"As a Muslim, I make sure our meat is halal," he said, adding that JAKIM conducted regular checks on this.