By Aida Aziz
Photo KPDN
TELUK INTAN: The supply of subsidised packets of 1 kilogram (kg) cooking oil has run out and they have not been receiving new shipments from their supplier for the past week.
That is the reason given at the premises managed by foreign traders at the Kompleks Menara Condong, which eventually exposed the activity of hiding subsidised cooking oil and only selling them to foreigners.
The dismantling was successfully carried out as a result of covert operations and raids conducted by the enforcement officers of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDN) in Perak last Wednesday.
According to its Director, Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, the raid was conducted in conjunction with Ops Pantau 2024 to inspect the stock of supplies for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, especially subsidised items such as 1kg packets of cooking oil, sugar, and flour.
“Enforcement authorities conducted a follow-up operation based on complaints from the public regarding traders intentionally hiding subsidised 1kg cooking oil packages and only selling them to foreigners.
“Undercover actions as buyers were undertaken to conduct test purchases at several business premises.
“The results of the operation found that the trader claimed to be out of stock of the oil supply and hadn’t received any for the past week from the supplier.
“Suspicious of the trader’s response, uniformed enforcement officers raided and inspected the premises as well as the business’s storage area.
“As a result, a total of 139 packages of subsidised 1kg cooking oil were found in the trader’s storage,” they said in a statement here today.
Kamalludin added that, one direction of stock declaration under Section 8 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 has been issued to the premises owner.
Furthermore, 139 packages of 1kg subsidised cooking oil and several purchase and sales documents were seized for further investigation.
He said the estimated seizure value amounted to RM347.50 and the case will be investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
“Overall, the operation successfully resulted in eight cases of various offences, with three cases under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
“Five cases under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011. Among the offences committed were selling controlled goods above the maximum price set by the government.
“Furthermore, the offence of not displaying price tags on food or items being sold,” he added.
