Thorny issue over price of three durians just beginning

GEORGE TOWN: The durian tra­der caught in a “three for RM1,000” controversy says he plans to sue the complainant as his business has dropped by up to 40% due to defamation on social media.

Chin Ah Chian, 52, said he and his partners had met the woman concerned to clarify the issue and prove that the sale of the three durians was done “accordingly” and not as she claimed.

“But when we asked her to issue a public apology and clarify that it was all just a misunderstanding, she refused,” Chin said at his shop in Jalan Macalister yesterday.

He said the issue had triggered an investigation by the Domestic Trade, Coopera­tives and Consume­rism Ministry.

The shop’s co-owner, who wished to be known only as Lim, said they contacted the woman to try to settle the issue.

“She was the one who posted the issue on Facebook. We understand that what is done is done, and all we want is just clarification that it was a big misunderstanding.

“We gave her time but there was no response, so we have to do what we have to do,” Lim said.

The ministry’s Penang enforcement chief Chin Ching Chung confirmed that his officers were awaiting the documents to determine the shop’s profits.

He said checks on the labels, price tags and weighing machine showed no discrepancies.

“But as the complaint was about profiteering, we need to check on many aspects under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act.

“We will wait until June 18 for them to provide us with the documents so that we can start calculating and looking into their profit margins,” he said.

The thorny issue began when the woman voiced her displeasure about how her friends and her paid RM937 for two Black Thorns and a Musang King durians in a FB posting.

Her post went viral, with negative comments hurled by netizens against the shop.

It was reported that the woman visited the shop on May 30 with a group of friends asking for the “biggest and tastiest fruits”.

When it was time to pay, the woman apparently remarked that it was expensive but was said to have paid up without kicking up a fuss.