Calls for Malaysia to further reduce prices of Covid-19 self-test kits

KUALA LUMPUR - Mr Daud Bakar and his wife have been regularly testing themselves for Covid-19 in the past five months as required by their employers.

The couple spend around RM400 (S$129) every month on antigen rapid test kits, sometimes more when there is a necessity.

"This covers us and our three school-going kids who also need to self-test twice a week. It's a requirement set by their school. We are lucky because we can still afford it but honestly, the money could have gone to food," Mr Daud, a 39-year-old engineer, told The Straits Times.

"We had to restrategise our finances by reducing how much we spend on our groceries because we feel the pinch. The test kits are definitely an added cost to our household expenses," he said.

In Malaysia, the prices of Covid-19 home testing kits range between RM5.90 and RM19.90 per unit. They are sold at supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations across the country.

Previously, the kits were sold at selected clinics and pharmacies with a ceiling price of RM39.90.

In a bid to encourage regular self-testing, the government last year fixed the maximum retail price at RM19.90 per unit and the wholesale price at RM16 a unit effective on Sept 5, under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act.

The retail price was further reduced to RM6.90 from Nov 1. Some sellers later priced the kits as low as RM5.90.

The trend of self-testing regularly has also been driven by the emergence of the Omicron variant, which reportedly replicates around 70 times faster than Delta and the original Covid-19 strain, though the infection severity is likely to be much lower.

While many are thankful for the government's effort, they still feel that the price of the test kits is expensive.

With some employers and schools requiring staff and students to self-test, there have been calls for the government to further reduce the ceiling price.

"The cheapest brands are almost always sold out and the ones available are often too expensive, as high as almost RM20 per unit. It's not sustainable for us," said Mr Ishak Sulaiman, 37.

"Some sellers are also taking advantage by increasing the price, such as for Salixium, due to its popularity in the market. It used to be RM6.90 per unit but now it is priced between RM10 and RM15 just because it's 'hard to come by'," added the public relations manager.

The growing calls have led the government to study whether there is a need to review the ceiling price of the test kits.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the government had gazetted self-test kits as a controlled item under the Control of Supplies Order 2021 on Nov 24 last year. It was later enforced on Dec 1 to ensure adequate supply in the market.

"The government always takes into consideration the needs and interests of consumers, especially from the aspect of the adequacy of supply in the market as well as in getting face masks and self-test kits at prices that are not burdensome," Datuk Seri Alexander told ST.

"The ministry, together with the government, will always try our best to do whatever we can to help the people," he said.