MELAKA: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is currently monitoring 20 retailers in the state suspected of hoarding their cooking oil supply.
The ministry's Melaka director, Norena Jaafar, said this was detected through its monitoring operation, named 'Op Ayam, Telur dan Minyak Masak' (Op ATM) since early June.
She said some retailers were suspected of hoarding cooking oil to reap larger profits next month.
"About 20 premises have come under our radar, with the owners suspected of controlling the sale of cooking oil.
"We believe the retailers plan to re-sell the supply by doubling the price after the subsidy period ends come July 1," she told reporters after a walkabout session with Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali at the Bachang market here today.
The move by the retailers is believed to have been triggered by the government's announcement on the withdrawal of subsidies for bottled cooking oil starting July 1.
Norena said they were closely monitoring more than 10 supermarkets and retailers located in the Central Melaka district, Jasin, as well as Alor Gajah.
"In order to detect and tackle this matter, the ministry enforcement team will continuously conduct monitoring, including by disguising themselves as shoppers."
Norena said since the beginning of the year, 235 related cases were recorded, with 161 retailers penalised under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
"A total 344 complaints were also recorded with 111 of them being price-related, followed by online transactions, misleading services, as well as several other categories of complaints.
"The ministry also issued 161 complaint notices to traders to detect possible profiteering," she said.
