More than 560 inspections in Sarawak over 1kg cooking oil sales, says deputy minister

KUCHING (March 13): A total of 563 inspections have been conducted in Sarawak as part of enforcement efforts on the sale of 1kg packet cooking oil since March 1, said Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh.

Following the federal government’s directive prohibiting purchases by non-Malaysian citizens, she revealed that 13,564 inspections had been carried out nationwide between March 1 and March 13.

“From March 1 until today (March 13), a total of 13,564 inspections have been conducted nationwide, with 563 inspections recorded in Sarawak.

“Nationwide, seven complaints have been received by the ministry, some of which are currently under investigation,” she said.

Fuziah said this after officiating the enforcement programme on the prohibition of selling and purchasing 1kg packet cooking oil polybags to non-Malaysians at Emart Matang here.

She explained that the directive, gazetted by the government, prohibits non-Malaysian citizens from purchasing 1kg packet cooking oil, and enforcement measures have been intensified to ensure compliance.

“We take seriously the issue of transparency in the purchase of packet cooking oil, particularly when it involves non-citizens or those who are not eligible to buy it,” she stressed.

As such, she said the ministry has set a ruling where both the trader and the buyer may face compound fines if found guilty.

“If the seller or the buyer is found guilty, both parties can be fined up to RM50,000.

“We take this matter seriously — if the buyer is penalised, the seller will also be penalised,” she said.

Fuziah also noted that measures introduced by the ministry, including the implementation of the eCOSS mobile application, have made it easier for consumers to purchase the subsidised cooking oil.

“During my inspection today, we found that the system is convenient for buyers, even for senior citizens.

“They can simply present their identification card (IC), and the purchase will be recorded in the log book,” she said, adding that buyers are allowed to purchase up to three packets per day.

She added that 3.5 million Malaysians have downloaded the eCOSS mobile application, which allows users to scan and record their purchases digitally.

“The application shows purchases made on that particular day, meaning once the maximum of three packets has been bought, the user cannot make further purchases on the same day,” she said.

Additionally, Fuziah shared that the ministry is currently in a transition process in collaboration with the Finance Ministry to enable the use of IC-based terminals by mid to late this year.

“This collaboration with the ministry will allow the eCOSS database to be linked with the MyKasih terminal system,” she added.

When asked about the impact of the conflict in West Asia on import items, Fuziah said the ministry is prepared to address any potential impact through monitoring operations, where enforcement officers conducting regular ground checks.

“Through this operation, we are able to monitor any unusual price increases in accordance with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

“While transportation costs may increase, it does not necessarily mean that prices will rise excessively,” she said.

She added that the ministry has not received any complaints so far regarding abnormal price hikes, noting that wholesalers and retailers currently have about two months’ worth of stock.