Tan (second left) and Alexander (second right) conducting spot check on the 1kg subsidised cooking oil which are in abundance at Emart Tudan.
MIRI: Consumers in Sarawak are assured there is enough supply of cooking oil including the subsidised 1kg packet, which is still priced at RM2.50 even after the restructuring of the Cooking Oil Stabilisation Scheme (COSS).
Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) Sarawak director Datuk Stanley Tan said the quota of 2,505 metric tonnes per month for the subsidised 1kg packet cooking oil is sufficient for consumers in the state.
Tan added that for Miri alone 315 metric tonnes are available.
“Checks by our enforcement personnel throughout Sarawak showed that there is no shortage of the subsidised oil as well as cooking oil in bottles which are sold at market prices effective Nov 1,” he told reporters yesterday after leading MDTCC Miri staff for spot checks on cooking oil at Emart Tudan.
Accompanying them was MDTCC Miri chief Alexander Averon Suwin.
So far, he said, there was no report of hoarding of cooking oil since the implementation of the COSS, except for one case in Serian for illegal stocking of cooking oil and another case in Limbang for selling the 1kg cooking oil at RM2.80 per packet.
He advised consumers to avoid panic buying as it would disrupt the supply of the item in the market, causing artificial shortage.
Should they suspect any supermarket or trader of committing malpractices including hoarding, they should call the ministry’s hotline at 1800-886-800 or email [email protected] or make their complaints online through http://e-aduan.kpdnkk.gov.my, he said.
And for those in Miri, he said they can telephone the MDTCC Office at 085-412862 or come personally during office hours to MDTCC Office at fifth and sixth Floor of Yu Lan Plaza, Brooke road, Miri.
Meanwhile Tan in a statement said the industry is given two months’ grace period to use the old packaging or the old price tags for cooking oil until stocks last. He also said they are allowed to sell the old stock of cooking oil at the new market prices but they must display the new prices.
He warned that MDTCC would not hesitate to take action against any offender, including hoarders and profiteers.
Hoarding cooking oil is a punishable offence under Control of Supplies Act 1961, he said.
“Offenders face a maximum fine of RM1 million or three years in jail or both penalties for hoarding. For subsequent offences, the culprit will face a maximum fine of RM3 million or five years’ imprisonment or both.
“Companies or corporate bodies will face a fine up to RM2 million for the first offence and RM5 million each for subsequent offences,” said Tan.
On the achievements of MDTCC Miri, Tan said for the whole of last year, they handled 15 cases and confiscated goods valued at over RM151.612 while RM1,100 in compound fees had been collected, involving controlled items such as sugar and cooking oil.
He added that for the first 10 months of this year, only two minor cases were handled, with total value of confiscated sugar at RM74.05 and the compound paid was RM400.
There was only one report on disparity in prices of cooking oil, he said.