By Aida Aziz
Photo KPDN Perak
TAIPING: A retail outlet in Taman Kota Jaya, Simpang, was raided after it was found to be hoarding subsidized cooking oil and selling granulated sugar above the controlled price.
According to Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, Director of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) in Perak, the inspection was carried out by KPDN enforcement officers from the Taiping branch on Friday at 11:15 a.m. through Operation Samar.
He added that during the raid, 220 kilograms of subsidized 1kg cooking oil and 337 kilograms of coarse white granulated sugar, along with several related documents, were seized.
“There were complaints from the public that subsidized 1kg cooking oil was being sold above the controlled price at the premises.
“During a test purchase, the sales staff claimed that the subsidized 1kg cooking oil had been sold out and was not in stock.
“Suspicious of this statement, uniformed enforcement officers entered the premises and conducted a thorough inspection.
“The inspection revealed that there were 220 kilograms of subsidized 1kg cooking oil stored in the premises’ storeroom,” he said through statement here today.
He stated that hoarding and refusing to sell controlled items is an offense under the Supply Control Act 1961.
Additionally, further inspection found that 1kg of coarse white granulated sugar was being sold at RM2.90, which is above the controlled price of RM2.85.
“Consequently, another action was taken under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 against the same premises for selling controlled items above the government-set controlled price.
“The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM1,510.45, and the case is being investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961,” he added.
