KUALA LUMPUR: The government will audit 22 producers and 305 cooking oil packing outlets nationwide to detect any irregularities in the subsidised cooking oil supply.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government wanted to determine the amount of cooking oil in packets produced, as well as getting complete information on subsidy recipients.
"The government has instructed enforcement agencies, comprising the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP), police and armed forces to check cooking oil packaging factories along the country's borders to ensure that there were no misappropriations.
"This is to ensure that there will not be any leakages in this year's RM4 billion subsidy allocation, aimed to ease the burden of the Malaysian Family," he said in a statement today.
Ismail Sabri said stern action would be taken against errant cooking oil manufactures and packagers.
Earlier, Ismail chaired the National Action Council on Cost of Living meeting involving several ministers, and officials from the Statistics Department (DoS), Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, Khazanah Research Institute, Malay Economic Action Council, Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Service Malaysia, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations and Malaysia Retail Chain Association.
Five papers were presented in the meeting by three agencies: KPDNHEP, Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry and DoS.
"Current statistics showed that the monthly distribution of 60,000 metric tonnes of cooking oil is way above the household consumption (about 55,000 tonnes a month) nationwide.
"The meeting has also agreed to place food security as a priority under the Home Ministry to solve the problem which has caused hike in cost of living by the Malaysian Family."
He said the government would also ramp up Program Jualan Keluarga Malaysia (Keluarga Malaysia Sales programme) that offers basic essential items at cheaper prices.
Ismail Sabri said the programme, which involves cooperation between members of parliament, state assemblymen and local governments, would also be expanded to higher education institutes nationwide.
It would be led by KPDNHEP, Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry; Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry as well as the Federal Territories Ministry, adopting the mobile concept, he said.
"The government will also introduce 'Menu Keluarga Malaysia' at co-ops' restaurants and cafeteria, as well as at eateries in higher education institutes as a cheaper alternative for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"The government always listens to the grouses of the Malaysian Family and strives to ensure that cost-of-living challenges is dealt through the best way possible."
