KUCHING – The use of smartphone apps to record purchases of controlled goods has been proposed as one of the measures to monitor the distribution of subsidised goods, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said the government was still looking into the best possible method and several recommendations were mooted to prevent leakages in the wholesale purchase of goods, including cooking oil in 1kg polybags in the market.
“One person is only allowed to buy two packets (cooking oil in polybags) but some consumers, after making their purchase, will go to another store and buy some more, we are aware that this is happening,” he said after visiting a cooking oil packaging plant here today.
“With the smartphone app we may be able to track and prevent further purchases and this applies not only to cooking oil but other subsidised items as well.”
In warning industry players not to get involved in misappropriation of subsidised and controlled goods, Nanta said he would not hesitate to suspend their company licences if they were found guilty.
Also present during the visit were the ministry’s Sarawak branch’s deputy director Peter J. Berinus Agang and Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin.
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference, Nanta said the ministry’s role in determining the ceiling price of chicken in the market was focused on enforcement in ensuring that traders adhered to the stipulated price.
He said an engagement session was held today with poultry industry players as well as senior officials from his ministry and the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry to discuss the issue.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the price of chicken in the market would not be floated in order to not burden the public.
Meanwhile, in a media statement today, Nanta said that no complaints or offences were recorded in Sarawak on the hoarding of controlled items during the 2022 Anti-Sorok campaign held from January to June 18 this year.
He added that so far, the supply of packaged cooking oil in the state was sufficient and the shortage in some premises was only temporary. – Bernama, June 25, 2022
