PUTRAJAYA – Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi today explained that starting November 2016, the cooking oil subsidy is only for the product sold in 1kg polybag packaging.
The implementation is under the Cooking Oil Stabilisation Scheme, he said in a statement.
“The purpose of the government maintaining the subsidy for cooking oil in the 1kg packet is to ensure that the people can still get supply for household use at an affordable price of RM2.50 per kg.”
He was responding to complaints by social media users on the price of 5kg bottled cooking oil.
Currently, he said, 60,000 tonnes of subsidised cooking oil is provided every month for nationwide distribution, adding that the amount is sufficient.
The ministry is committed to ensuring the availability of subsidised cooking oil in the market, by monitoring manufacturers and packaging companies, conducting audits on the supply chain, and carrying out daily inspections on retailers, he said.
He added that 477 business premises have been issued warnings to immediately comply with the standard operating procedures under the movement control order.
They are among the 321,850 outlets inspected yesterday.
Nanta said those who fail to comply with the SOPs will be fined RM1,000, as per the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988. – Bernama, January 17, 2021
