GEORGE TOWN: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) in Penang has assured that the supply of one kilogramme (kg) subsidised polybag cooking oil in the state is sufficient based on monitoring and inspections carried out.
Its director S.Jegan said that his team conducts periodic inspections daily and weekly at the manufacturer, packer, wholesaler and even retailer levels to monitor the presence of polybag cooking oil in Penang.
He said based on the inspection, it was also found that the distribution of subsidised polybag cooking oil in the state from September 1 to 20 was 2,060,000 packets.
“The state KPDN takes seriously the issue of the lack of polybag cooking oil in the market as raised by consumers and the media and we have mobilised 134 enforcement officers throughout Penang to monitor and deal with the issue.
“Beginning Jan 1 to date, a total of 37,705 inspections have been carried out by enforcement officers throughout the state and found that the supply of polybag cooking oil is sufficient, but sometimes there maybe a shortage of supply due to high demand from consumers and the cycle of delivery schedules from suppliers,“ he said in a statement. today.
Jegan said that based on the results of the inspection and feedback from the traders, there was no shortage of the polybag cooking oil because the traders received their supplies according to orders.
He said KPDN also warned all traders not to impose conditional purchases on customers who want to buy the subsidised polybag cooking oil and so far they have received 87 complaints related to controlled goods with five cases involving conditional purchases.
