MARKET DEVELOPMENT
KPDNKK Investigates Traders Hoarding Cooking Oil
KPDNKK Investigates Traders Hoarding Cooking Oil
07/11/2016 (Bernama) - The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) will open 18 investigation papers on the offences of hoarding cooking oil and increasing the price nationwide.
Under the massive Cooking Oil Stabilisation Scheme (COSS) operation, which began nationwide today, it is hoped that it would overcome the problem and the presence of similar cases.
The operation involved 2,600 enforcement officers and more than 1,000 price-monitoring officers.
The ministry's secretary-general Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh said four cooking oil suppliers from Selangor, Perak, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur will be prosecuted in court next week.
"Meanwhile, a supplier in Penang was charged today under the Anti-Profiteering Act 2010 and Control of Supplies Act 1961 for the offence of hoarding cooking oil and increasing its price," he said after visiting the Golden Palm Oil Industries Sdn Bhd factory, here today.
For the first offence, they will face a fine of not more than RM100,000 or imprisonment for three years, or both, while for the subsequent offence, they will be fined until RM250,000 or face five years of imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.
For companies, they will be fined until RM500,000, while for the subsequent offence, a fine of up to RM1 million, if found guilty.
Jamil also advised consumers to not panic as there is a sufficient supply of cooking oil, with 50,000 tonnes being produced each week.
In KEDAH, a total of 985kg of cooking oil worth RM2,500 were seized from Oct 26 until yesterday.
The state KPDNKK Enforcement Division deputy chief Mohamed Aznanshah Khalid said the cooking oil were seized during separate operations in Langkawi and Alor Setar.
In NEGERI SEMBILAN, four complaints have been lodged by the public over the issue since Oct 21, according to the state KPDNKK deputy director Saifulbahri Abdul Kadir.
However, he said no action had been yet taken against the traders and wholesalers as they were not found to have hoarded cooking oil.
In KELANTAN, a total of 61,964kg cooking oil and 1,656kg of sugar worth RM170,423.59 were seized.
The state KPDNKK director Datuk Ab Ghani Harun said they also found several traders who were willing to sell their supply of cooking oil to third parties in Thailand as the price could go up to RM4.50 per kg in the country.
"We had also sealed a cooking oil packaging factory in Pengkalan Kubor, Tumpat for allegedly selling it to traders in the neighbouring country.
"We also detained several lorry drivers believed to have been attempted to smuggle cooking oil to Thailand," he told reporters.
In TERENGGANU, the state KPDNKK deputy director, Md Nawawi Abd Rahman commented that the consumers attitude in buying cooking oil excessively outside their usual routine had contributed to the shortage.
A check at supermarkets in Kuala Terengganu, however, found that the supply of cooking oil in the form of packets or bottles was sufficient.
In MELAKA, the state KPDNKK director Jaiya Abu said the shortage of cooking oil was detected only at several sundry shops, while hypermarkets had an adequate supply.
He said packers, wholesalers and retailers must ensure adequate supply of cooking oil as failure to do so could result in their license being revoked or cancelled.
In SARAWAK, according to the state KPDNKK enforcement chief Abdul Hafidz A. Rahim, a total of 479 premises related to cooking oil had been inspected statewide since Nov 1 in the effort to ensure sufficient supply.
As at yesterday, the stock of cooking oil in the market stood at approximately 246,118kg.
In PERAK, a sundry shop at Jalan Baharu, Batu 5, in Parit Buntar, was fined for selling expired repackaged cooking oil.
Parit Buntar KPDNKK enforcement chief, Mohd Fazly Edros said the shop was found to have sold cooking oil that had been repackaged into 1.5 litre bottles at RM3 each since early this month.
In LABUAN, KPDNKK director Arun Fazhillah Hamdan gave assurance that the supply of cooking oil at the tax-free island was sufficient and still being sold at old price.
Arun said, however, the daily monitoring of nine main wholesalers and 13 major retailers will continue to be carried out.
In PERLIS, State KPDNKK Enforcement Division deputy chief Ahmad Sabri Mohd Suri said traders and wholesalers in the state had been adhering to the regulations.
Meanwhile, Perlis Consumer Movement co-chairman Datuk Nordin Abdullah said the public needs to be wise in applying their power of choice, in the effort to control the price of cooking oil in the market.
Under the massive Cooking Oil Stabilisation Scheme (COSS) operation, which began nationwide today, it is hoped that it would overcome the problem and the presence of similar cases.
The operation involved 2,600 enforcement officers and more than 1,000 price-monitoring officers.
The ministry's secretary-general Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh said four cooking oil suppliers from Selangor, Perak, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur will be prosecuted in court next week.
"Meanwhile, a supplier in Penang was charged today under the Anti-Profiteering Act 2010 and Control of Supplies Act 1961 for the offence of hoarding cooking oil and increasing its price," he said after visiting the Golden Palm Oil Industries Sdn Bhd factory, here today.
For the first offence, they will face a fine of not more than RM100,000 or imprisonment for three years, or both, while for the subsequent offence, they will be fined until RM250,000 or face five years of imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.
For companies, they will be fined until RM500,000, while for the subsequent offence, a fine of up to RM1 million, if found guilty.
Jamil also advised consumers to not panic as there is a sufficient supply of cooking oil, with 50,000 tonnes being produced each week.
In KEDAH, a total of 985kg of cooking oil worth RM2,500 were seized from Oct 26 until yesterday.
The state KPDNKK Enforcement Division deputy chief Mohamed Aznanshah Khalid said the cooking oil were seized during separate operations in Langkawi and Alor Setar.
In NEGERI SEMBILAN, four complaints have been lodged by the public over the issue since Oct 21, according to the state KPDNKK deputy director Saifulbahri Abdul Kadir.
However, he said no action had been yet taken against the traders and wholesalers as they were not found to have hoarded cooking oil.
In KELANTAN, a total of 61,964kg cooking oil and 1,656kg of sugar worth RM170,423.59 were seized.
The state KPDNKK director Datuk Ab Ghani Harun said they also found several traders who were willing to sell their supply of cooking oil to third parties in Thailand as the price could go up to RM4.50 per kg in the country.
"We had also sealed a cooking oil packaging factory in Pengkalan Kubor, Tumpat for allegedly selling it to traders in the neighbouring country.
"We also detained several lorry drivers believed to have been attempted to smuggle cooking oil to Thailand," he told reporters.
In TERENGGANU, the state KPDNKK deputy director, Md Nawawi Abd Rahman commented that the consumers attitude in buying cooking oil excessively outside their usual routine had contributed to the shortage.
A check at supermarkets in Kuala Terengganu, however, found that the supply of cooking oil in the form of packets or bottles was sufficient.
In MELAKA, the state KPDNKK director Jaiya Abu said the shortage of cooking oil was detected only at several sundry shops, while hypermarkets had an adequate supply.
He said packers, wholesalers and retailers must ensure adequate supply of cooking oil as failure to do so could result in their license being revoked or cancelled.
In SARAWAK, according to the state KPDNKK enforcement chief Abdul Hafidz A. Rahim, a total of 479 premises related to cooking oil had been inspected statewide since Nov 1 in the effort to ensure sufficient supply.
As at yesterday, the stock of cooking oil in the market stood at approximately 246,118kg.
In PERAK, a sundry shop at Jalan Baharu, Batu 5, in Parit Buntar, was fined for selling expired repackaged cooking oil.
Parit Buntar KPDNKK enforcement chief, Mohd Fazly Edros said the shop was found to have sold cooking oil that had been repackaged into 1.5 litre bottles at RM3 each since early this month.
In LABUAN, KPDNKK director Arun Fazhillah Hamdan gave assurance that the supply of cooking oil at the tax-free island was sufficient and still being sold at old price.
Arun said, however, the daily monitoring of nine main wholesalers and 13 major retailers will continue to be carried out.
In PERLIS, State KPDNKK Enforcement Division deputy chief Ahmad Sabri Mohd Suri said traders and wholesalers in the state had been adhering to the regulations.
Meanwhile, Perlis Consumer Movement co-chairman Datuk Nordin Abdullah said the public needs to be wise in applying their power of choice, in the effort to control the price of cooking oil in the market.