CYBERJAYA: It is high time for the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's enforcement division to level up into a department especially with ever-growing consumer issues, says Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister Datuk said as the tasks become more challenging, the responsibility becomes greater for the enforcement unit.
“If you ask me… it’s time for the enforcement division to move up a level -by becoming the Enforcement Department. This is because I know their role is no longer small as issues involving consumerism, trade have become cross-ministerial...
“When there is a problem, who will everyone ultimately look to? All of you. Right?" he asked.
"When the tasks become more challenging, the strength of the team has to match. I hope the Public Service Department (PSD) would look into the matter,” he said in his speech at the 54th Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry Enforcement Day celebration and the launch of the National Consumer Policy 2.0, here on Tuesday. (April 28)
Also present were minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, his deputy Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh, and the ministry's secretary-general Datuk SerI Mohd Sayuthi Bakar and director-general (enforcement) Datuk Azman Adam.
Ahmad Zahid also said that currently enforcement can no longer be purely conventional as it must leverage technology, data and intelligence to ensure faster and more accurate action.
Meanwhile, Armizan said the ministry is studying a proposal to upgrade the ministry's enforcement division to a department to strengthen enforcement capabilities and optimise enforcement functions across ministries.
He said the proposal for empowerment had been discussed at the Cabinet level which, among others, recognised the need to increase the capacity and capability of the ministry's enforcement in line with current challenges.
He said the government saw no need to create enforcement units in all ministries, rather certain enforcement functions could be coordinated and implemented by the ministry's enforcement division which has expertise in the field of domestic trade.
