If convicted, individuals can be fined RM15,000 or jailed two years while companies risk a fine of RM25,000.

Shafie advised consumers to report to his ministry of traders found selling general purpose flour above RM1.35 per kilogramme.
However, the same could not be said about the prices of enriched wheat flour as it is not a controlled item.

"Producers should not encourage the production of enriched wheat flour just because it is not a price-controlled item," Shafie said after a meeting with representatives from the industry yesterday.

He said most of the industry representatives had cited the increased price of wheat as a reason behind raising the price of flour.

Shafie said the price of wheat, imported from Canada and the United States, had increased from US$235 per tonne to US$450 per tonne (RM790 to RM1,500).