BINTULU: Enforcement officers from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living ministry has apprehended a businessman after he was found hiding 510kg of subsidised cooking oil packets at a supermarket in Kidurong on Sunday.
The ministry’s Bintulu branch chief Al Redzamani Abdul Razak said the businessman will be charged under the Supply Control Act 1961.
Redzamani said enforcement officers were conducting checks during ‘Ops Sorok’ and found that the supermarket had kept subsidised cooking oil which is a control item.
He explained that during the inspection, the enforcement officers found that there were no packets of cooking oil on the shelves of the supermarket.
“As a result of the inspection, it was found that 510kg of cooking oil were hidden in a storage room of the premises.
“All the subsidised cooking oil with an estimated value of RM1,275 were confiscated for further action and the case is being investigated under Section 8 of the Supply Control Act 1961,” he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 5).
If found guilty, the supermarket can be fined a maximum of RM1 million or jail term for a maximum of three years or both.
Redzamani explained that one of the legal requirements that licencees must comply with is to ensure that supplies, especially controlled items, are always available at all times as stipulated in the Supply Control Regulations of the Supply Control Act 1974.
In addition, the supermarket involved was also asked to declare stock, under Section 8 of the Supply Control Act 1961.
