ALOR SETAR: The Kedah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) seized 33 tonnes of fertilisers and 100 tonnes of seedlings worth RM150,000 in a raid on a warehouse in Simpang Empat near here on Wednesday.
The operations which was jointly conducted by Kedah MACC personnel with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry (MOA), began from 4pm until 11pm.
Kedah MACC director Datuk Shaharom Nizam Abd Manap said the operations were conducted after it found that the warehouse was selling the fertiliser subsidy and seedlings illegally.
“We found that certain parties supplied the fertiliser subsidy to the warehouse to be repackaged before it is sold again at a high price, and the warehouse did not have a licence to purchase fertiliser.
“There was the fertiliser subsidy in the warehouse and the KPDNHEP confiscated 33 tonnes of fertiliser which was estimated to be worth RM53,000 while the MOA seized 100 tonnes of illegal padi seedlings estimated to worth RM97,000,” he said in a statement here today.
Shaharom Nizam said the owner of the warehouse would be called in to provide further information to the KPDNPHEP for investigations to be held under Regulation 3 (1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 which provides for a compound of up to RM1 million or jail up to three years or both.
“The case is also being investigated under the Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994 which provides for a fine of up to RM25,000,” he said. – Bernama
