Penang KPDN to act against misuse of subsidised cooking oil
GEORGE TOWN: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), Penang, will not hesitate to take action against individuals or entities involved in the misuse of subsidised goods.
State director S. Jegan said the department continuously monitors all activities involving the use of cooking oil, not just in terms of supply, but also related practices, including the use of oil in religious rituals, such as prayer oil used by Hindu devotees, as raised by the Penang Hindu Association (PHA).
"Although we have yet to receive any official complaints on the matter, our enforcement officers are consistently carrying out duties under all relevant laws, including those related to the misuse of subsidised goods.
"We urge any parties, whether members of the public or associations, who have information regarding such misuse to channel it to KPDN through our official complaint channels.
"This will facilitate early action and help avoid public panic or concerns that may lead to a disharmonious situation," he said today.
His remarks came in response to concerns raised by the PHA regarding enforcement efforts to curb the misuse of subsidised cooking oil.
PHA president Datuk P. Murugiah claimed the association had received insider information from retail sources that most of the prayer oil used by Hindus and temples was, in fact, subsidised cooking oil.
"The government introduced the RM2.50 per kg subsidised cooking oil scheme to ensure affordability for low-income households, particularly those in the B40 group.
"However, this initiative has been exploited by unscrupulous suppliers who repackage the cooking oil as prayer oil and sell it at exorbitant prices.
"In a recent PHA price survey, one particular prayer oil brand was listed at RM8.20 per litre, a staggering 228 per cent profit from the subsidised price. Some brands are sold at even higher prices," he said in a statement.
Murugiah added that the issue was not new. Two years ago, KPDN enforcement officers apprehended a trader for refilling subsidised cooking oil into different bottles and selling it as prayer oil at inflated prices.
PHA has urged KPDN to intensify its monitoring of the matter and to conduct regular checks on the source and pricing of prayer oil products sold at retail outlets.
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