JOHOR BARU: The government has been urged to further reduce the ceiling price of Covid-19 self-test kits to RM15 or less instead of RM19.90 as announced by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul.

       The Pakatan Harapan cost of living committee said that the ceiling price of RM19.90, to be enforced at the end of the year, was still high for the B40 group.

       The committee added that the M40 group would face a similar struggle as each self test-kit can only be used once.

       In a statement on Friday (Sept 10), they added that demand for self test-kits was very high and would continue to rise.

       "The demand for this kit is expected to continuously increase and it will be an essential item in our lives in the post-Covid-19 era.

       "Therefore, the government ought to reduce the ceiling price to RM15 by the end of this month, and subsequently reduce the price below RM10 at the end of October," they said.

       They added that a reasonable price for each self-test kit should be around RM5 and this price should be introduced by the end of November.

       "The gradual reduction of price is considered based on the current need for suppliers and retailers to sell off their existing stocks," added the committee.

       The statement was signed by Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim, Hulu Langat MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus, Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, Sekijang MP Natrah Ismail, Batu Gajah MP V. Sivakumar, Maharani MP, Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, Rasah MP Cha Kee Chin, Kubang Rotan assemblyman Asmirul Anuar Aris and Maharani assemblyman Norhayati Bachok.

       The government had previously set the retail ceiling price for Covid-19 self-test kits at RM19.90 each and wholesale price of RM16 effective Sept 5.