BUKIT MERTAJAM – The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) clamped down on a company found repackaging subsidised cooking oil to make extra profit here today.
State KPDNHEP director Mohd Ridzuan Ab Ghapar said during the raid, the company was caught transferring subsidised cooking oil from the original one kilogramme (kg) packs into two and five kg bottles of other brands for the Penang market.
“They used subsidised cooking oil bought at RM2.50 a packet and repackaged them in two and five kg bottles.
“It is an irresponsible act, because the subsidy is borne by the government for the B40 target group.
“We don’t control the prices of cooking oil in two and five kg packs. The global prices of cooking oil have now gone up, and they are taking the easy way to make a profit,’’ he said when met by reporters after conducting the raid at the premises in Simpang Ampat.
He said the company, which had been operating for three years, was also found to be packaging curry powder and spices using the halal logo without authorisation.
“Further investigations will also be conducted to determine if the company was using the subsidised cooking oil for Hindu prayer rituals. The bottles for the rituals were also found on the premises,’’ he said.
Mohd Ridzuan said 7,771 empty subsidised cooking oil plastic packets, 617 cooking oil bottles and 420 packets of spices suspected of having unauthorised halal logos worth a total of RM27,000 were seized.
He said two individuals were also nabbed for the misappropriation and misuse of subsidised cooking oil under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Meanwhile, the penalty for using the halal logo without permission would be investigated Article 4 (1) (a) Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, he added.
Application to allow dine-ins
KPDNHEP in another development, will be submitting an application for dine-ins to be allowed during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Its deputy minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said the application would be submitted to Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob or the National Security Council (MKN) soon.
He said the application for permission to dine-in is being made for the welfare of not only food premises and food truck operators but also workers, suppliers, and wholesalers of foodstuffs, and basically anyone involved in the food industry.
“For each premises allowed to offer dine-ins, it could help revive the economy and lives of at least five individuals involved in the chain of suppliers of raw materials and goods,” he told reporters after inspecting the sales of the ‘Prihatin Mart’ mobile grocery store in Dataran Kampung Langgar, here today.
He said owners of premises and food trucks had promised to comply with all standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the MKN if dine-ins were allowed.
Rosol said KPDNHEP would also request that premises selling clothes be allowed to operate during the MCO to ensure the survival of traders and workers, especially during the upcoming Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri (in May) festivities.
“We know now that we are in a dilemma between the economy and (people’s) health. After all, many new clusters are found in construction sites whereas there is no emergence of new clusters in business areas such as restaurants and eateries, night markets, and premises selling clothing…so we hope the MKN can consider this.
“This is the grievance of people at the grassroots who have been affected by the COVID-19 (situation),” he added.
