A screen shot of the sales of cooking gas cylinders in Nunukan that went viral on social media.
TAWAU: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) here will prosecute all smuggling cases involving subsidized and controlled goods.
District enforcement chief Aslani Dabi said to prevent smuggling from happening again, KPDNHEP’s Director of Enforcement in Putrajaya, Datuk Iskandar Halim Sulaiman had issued a directive that would take effect immediately on November 13, this year.
Smugglers would face a maximum fine of RM1 million per person or imprisonment of not more than three years or both, he said when commenting on a statement about smuggling of subsidised controlled goods in the Malaysia-Indonesia borders which went viral on social media.
A person in Nunukan, Indonesia advertised sales of cooking gas cylinders that went viral on social media.
Aslani said in terms of precautionary measures, several had been planned and implemented including the enforcement of the Special Terms of Service for wholesale and retail licence holders in Tawau area that are not allowed to supply cooking gas to the people of Sebatik Island.
Only those licensed can supply the controlled goods to Sebatik Island based on a permit issued stating the quantity, time and date of unloading and the jetty involved and the boat registration number allowed to carry the cooking gas cylinders.
In addition, he said KPDNHEP law enforcement officials were regularly directed to monitor every drop-off jetty around Tawau, including private jetty, which often receives complaints from the public over alleged mismanagement of goods.
Licensed wholesalers and retailers are also constantly monitored and inspected to ensure that supply and supply sources are the same as the stock book reports provided and submitted.
Aslani said it would monitor from time to time wholesale control of Tawau area which supplies control items to unlicensed individuals or traders. If found, action could be taken against wholesalers under Regulation 9 (2) of the Supply Control Regulations 1974, he added.
In addition, he said cooperation among the enforcement agencies in the district had been enhanced by integrating operations at sea and on land.
The Tawau KPDNHEP also receives frequent submissions of cases involving control items from other enforcement agencies.
In 2017, 48 cases of submissions from agency involved controlled goods, while 23 cases in 2018.
Until November 18 this year, a total of 33 cases had been reported to the department for further investigation, he said. He said the KPDNHEP Tawau Branch had taken action against 157 recorded cases of various trade offences from January until yesterday.
Aslani said the amount of seizure was valued at RM605,334 and RM35,450 in compound.
He said in offences under the Supply Control Act 1961 were the highest recorded at RM578,399 with 51 cases and RM19,900 in compounds.
This was followed by seizure under the Price Control and Anti-Laureate Act 2011 with 63 cases all worth about RM8,747 and RM9,100 in compounds and 30 cases under the Weight and Measure Act 1972 with seizure worth RM7,380 and RM5,050 in compounds.