KUCHING: The shortage of goods here is only temporary and stocks will be replenished by wholesalers in no time.
The assurance came from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry today following routine inspections by enforcement officers on business premises, including supermarkets, in the city.
“The purpose of the inspections is to review the supply of chicken, eggs and cooking oil in the market.
“This is based on the feedback received by the ministry from consumers who reported the supply of 1kg polybag packages cooking oil is decreasing in the market, especially in grocery stores,” the ministry said in a statement today.
The ministry has received the mandate and allocation from the government to implement a people-centric programme and one of them is to provide 1kg polybag packages cooking oil at controlled prices to ease and reduce the cost of living.
As a temporary measure, the ministry has also set a limit on the 1 kg packeted cooking oil at the retailer level where each customer is limited to three packets for a single purchase.
“This is also based on feedback from users where demand for subsidised cooking oil has increased lately and some consumers have purchased more than the need which caused the shortage.
“A total of 176 enforcement officers and 101 price monitoring officers regularly carried out inspections on a daily basis to ensure that basic necessities are stable and sufficient as well as there is no misappropriation of controlled and subsidised goods,” the ministry added.
There are two manufacturers and 13 cooking oil wrapping companies throughout the state. The amount of subsidised cooking oil production is 4,517 metric tonnes a month.
The ministry has also conducted daily inspections on 270 selected retail premises and 85 selected wholesalers to check on controlled goods and basic necessities such as sugar, cooking oil, wheat flour, rice, white bread, eggs, chicken, onions, milk powder and vegetables.
The ministry is currently on an anti-hoarding campaign nationwide which has shown a positive impact on consumers and traders.
From January 2022 to June 2022, the state ministry has conducted 51,811 inspections at all levels and has received 80 complaints related to chicken, chicken eggs and cooking oils and recorded 10 cases of ‘misappropriation’.
Individuals and companies have been reminded not to flout the law.
In addition to the implementation of the anti-hoarding campaign, the ministry said the ceiling prices of chicken and chicken eggs will be implemented from July 1 to August 31.
The maximum price of chicken and chicken eggs will be enforced through the Price Control and Anti-Profit Act 2011.
“It is noteworthy that decisive action will be taken against traders who fail to comply with the rules under this scheme. Any trader who commits an offence will be booked under the Price Control and Anti-Profit Act 2011.
“The community is encouraged to be the eye and ear of the authorities by providing information on the mismanagement and hoarding of controlled or subsidised goods to ensure that these illegal activities can be eradicated at the grassroots and to ensure that the supply of essentials is stable and adequate for the use of Sarawak,” the ministry said.
