KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — There is adequate supply of subsidised cooking oil in Kedah and Kelantan throughout the duration of the movement control order (MCO).
An inspection by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) on retailers, wholesalers and subsidised cooking oil packers in the two states found sufficient stock of the essential item.
Kedah Information, Communications and Multimedia, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Wan Romani Wan Salim said there was no issue of shortage of cooking oil because traders were still receiving supplies from suppliers as requested and there was no reduction in quantity.
“Traders have only informed that there was an increase in the purchase of 1kg packets of cooking oil,” he said in a statement in Kedah, today.
According to Wan Romani, an inspection of 21 cooking oil packaging companies in the state found that only two were not functioning while the rest were operating as usual.
“Hence, the issue of insufficient subsidised cooking oil in the state does not occur, but the ministry will continue to conduct daily monitoring and inspection to ensure each trader complies with rules set to meet consumer demand and needs in Kedah,” he said.
Kelantan KPDNHEP director Adnan Abd Rahman said daily inspections and monitoring were being conducted on retailers, wholesalers and even cooking oil packers throughout the state to ensure supply was always sufficient.
“Based on monitoring, the price of subsidised cooking oil for a one kg packet at a price controlled by the government is RM2.50. While the price of cooking oil in a five kg bottle is around RM24 to RM27,” he said in a statement in Kelantan.
He said traders in the state were allowed to impose a limit on the purchase of cooking oil in one kilogramme polybag to three units per transaction to ensure supply was stable and did not cause panic purchases.
“Stern action will be taken against any person who smuggles these controlled item under the Control of Supplies Act 1961,” he said. — Bernama
