LABUAN – Most sundry shops in the outskirts of town here are running out of essential goods due to panic buying ahead of the total lockdown in some parts of Labuan beginning next Tuesday.
The island’s People’s Representative Council chairman, Mohd Dzulfaizal Abd Manan, said that the temporary closure of many supermarkets and hypermarkets for Covid-19 sanitisation work left consumers no choice but to make a beeline for all sundry shops in their respective villages and residential areas, resulting in retailers facing low stocks.
“The ongoing stricter Sabah-Labuan travel constraints, including requiring goods transporters to have polymerase chain reaction tests before entering Labuan, have also contributed to the low stock of essentials here,” he said today.
The 14-day total lockdown from June 15-28 involves localities in the town centre (except the Financial Park Complex), Kg Sg Keling, Simpang Sahari, Kg Bukit Kalam, the water villages of Kg Patau-Patau 1 and 2, Mutiara housing area in Sg Bedaun, Kg Layang-Layangan, Kg Durian Tunjong, and Kg Tanjung Aru.
Dzulfaizal said among the essential goods in short supply at the sundry shops were rice, cooking oil, eggs, and sugar.
“This issue must be addressed effectively as the federal government has assured a sufficient supply of goods.
“The demand for essentials has risen drastically not only due to the closure of many supermarkets and hypermarkets, but the upcoming total lockdown in the eight densely populated localities has also resulted in an increase in prices,” he added.
Among the supermarkets and hypermarkets that remained closed today are the Milimewa and Emporich supermarkets, Family Mart, and the Bataras hypermarket.
The Labuan office of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement taht the cooking oil supply shortage would be addressed in stages beginning next week.
It said cooking oil wholesalers have just received supplies, to be distributed to retailers in stages. – Bernama, June 13, 2021
