Kuala lumpur: Effective enforcement of the ban on the sale of subsidised cooking oil packets to foreign nationals since March 1 has resulted in only three offences recorded so far, alongside a sharp decline in public complaints. Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) enforcement director-general Datuk Azman Adam said out of the three offences, two cases were in Kedah and one in Selangor, adding that the ban, announced by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali in Parliament on Jan 29, is aimed at ensuring Malaysians continue to enjoy subsidised cooking oil.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, complaints data received by the ministry also show a similar approach, when enforcement of the ban began, public tip-offs on foreigners buying cooking oil packs dropped drastically. Azman shared this information during a conference on the enforcement of Ops Tiris from 2025 to March this year.
A similar trend has been observed following the ban on sales and purchase of RON95 petrol by foreign-registered vehicles that has been in effect since April. This is along with the government's introduction of a policy controlling the filling up of fuel involving limits of 50 litres, 100 litres, and 150 litres, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, to ensure the continuity of supply and to curb misuse.
The government will also continue to improve its cooking oil supply monitoring system through the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme System (eCOSS), which allows tracking of the supply chain from refining factories to consumers.
Last year's enforcement audit results showed that 27 cooking oil packaging companies were subject to action, including suspension of quotas, licence revocation, and court action. Additionally, 94 parties at the wholesaler and retailer level were subject to similar actions, Azman said.
Since the enforcement of the eCOSS system, cases where foreigner-owned shops sold subsidised cooking oil packs were rarely reported as they were not allowed to register their business premises in the system.
He also mentioned that the limit for purchasing cooking oil packets was set at three kilogrammes per person since 2022, based on the estimated adequate household use according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
The government has maintained a controlled price for bottled cooking oil at a rate of RM6.90 to RM30.90 since 2022, even with the rise in palm oil prices on the global market, Azman noted.
Azman pointed out that the approach was taken to ensure consumers were not burdened with the rising cost of living and to support the implementation of various government programmes, including the Rahmah Sales programme, throughout the country.