The Phnom Penh Municipal Hall says people in Phnom Penh are flooding supermarkets to stock food. Hong Menea
In a bid by opportunists attempting to raise prices of food products amid rising fears over a Covid-19 lockdown, the Phnom Penh Municipal Hall has asked people to stay calm and continue as normal.
In its notice on March 6 obtained by The Post on Sunday, it observed that in the past two days, people in Phnom Penh have flooded supermarkets to stock food, especially daily essentials, which has caused opportunists to raise prices.
“People should not be worried about a food shortage, the capital food reserves are not facing any shortages.
“Moreover, as people know, Cambodia is under the shade of peace and produces more food than it requires. There is no reason to be alarmed. Food reserves are not facing shortages.
“The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration asks all citizens to live as normal and follow the preventative measures as the Ministry of Health instructed,” it said.
Phnom Penh Municipal Hall spokesman Meth Meas Pheakdey could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
Affiliated Network for Social Accountability executive director San Chey said people were fearful and wanted to prepare in case they are banned from moving around as in China.
However, he said it was still important to curb those opportunists. People, he said, needed to be aware that some may look for opportunities when there is fear.
He said there are fraudsters and counterfeiters who try to sell already deteriorated goods to the public which people may buy in panic.
“Authorities should introduce measures to remind these traders to respect the code of ethics. It is the people’s right to be able to buy goods to store at their house without paying more than the market price.
“The authorities should introduce measures to prevent this from happening. Sometimes, it is an opportunity for perpetrators to release expired goods,” he said.
A resident of Meanchey district, who asked not to be named, said on Sunday that she had heard repeated rumours of food buying in preparation for Covid-19 appearing in the capital.
She said her family was worried when they heard the rumours, so she went out and bought foods with long expiry dates including noodles, canned fish, eggs, dried fish, beef or pork for marinating and drying.
She is afraid that these foods will not be sold when citizens become more concerned.
“I do not know for sure who is saying these things … it is by word of mouth. I was worried so went shopping to get ready just in case the city is locked down like China, and we won’t be able to get food.
“If the disease does not spread much, we will keep them to eat as usual,” she said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 7 ordered the temporary closure of public and private schools from kindergarten to tertiary education in Siem Reap town, Siem Reap province, after a Cambodian man was found infected with Covid-19.
