KUCHING: The Sarawak chapter of the Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Ministry (KPDN) recorded 119 cases involving RM21.5 million in seizures under Ops Tiris 3.0 from Jan 1 to Nov 20 this year.

Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh said most of these offences were related to diesel misappropriation and subsidised cooking oil smuggling, especially at the country’s border checkpoints.

“In states like Sarawak, which have many border checkpoints, this presents a challenging task for the KPDN and other enforcement agencies.

“If you look at the number of cases and seizure values ​​in Sarawak, they are quite significant compared to the nationwide total of 2,511 cases with RM86.93 million in seizures,” she told a press conference after a working visit in conjunction with the Kita Gempur programme at a supermarket here today.

Fuziah urged the public to channel any information or complaints regarding embezzlement, leakage and cartels of controlled and subsidised goods to the ministry.

The Kita Gempur initiative is a strategic effort by the government to build a mass movement to address the issue of manipulation in business activities and leakage involving controlled and subsidised goods.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched Kita Gempur in October to address leakage while ensuring that subsidies reach the target groups.