Subsidised cooking oil: Use tougher laws - Najib

SHAH ALAM - Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says it is time for the country to form stricter laws against the offence of abusing subsidised cooking oil in the country.

He said the action caused the public to not have the opportunity to buy subsidised cooking oil and this could directly threaten the country's food security under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) or the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

“Packet of cooking oil should be enough as it is only limited to domestic consumers.

"But it is misused by restaurants and factories or smuggled into neighbouring countries," he said in a post on his official Facebook page.

Bernama previously reported that the Johor Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) seized 13.6 metric tonnes of cooking oil suspected to be mixed with used cooking oil, besides arrested the 30-year-old company owner to assist in the investigation under the Control of Supply Act 1961.

On Thursday, KPDNHEP withdrew the licenses of nine subsidised cooking oil companies, while 15 companies were suspended and still under investigation.

Commenting further, the Pekan MP said every month the government would distribute a quota of 60,000 metric tonnes of subsidised cooking oil to manufacturers before it was distributed to suppliers and packaging companies.

“60,000 tonnes is equivalent to 60 million packets of one kilogram (kg) of subsidised cooking oil at RM2.50 per packet, which is the cheapest price in the world.

"Or two kg a month for every 30 million Malaysians," he said.

In the meantime, he said, due to the difference between the subsidised price and the market price, the misuse of subsidised cooking oil would also increase.

“The actual price (of cooking oil) is RM9 while the subsidised price is RM2.50. What is the profit if 100kg were smuggled by an individual a day?” he said, adding that the government would be the one that bears the losses.

He stressed that misusing subsidised oil threatened the country’s food security.