The supply of cooking oil is returning to consumers in Penang after the temporary shortage following the recent restructuring of the cooking oil subsidy.

State Domestic Trade Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) director Mohd Nawardi Saad said the consumers had therefore been advised not to buy cooking oil more than was necessary until the supply returned to its normal state.

"Since the restructuring of the cooking oil subsidy, most producers had stopped producing cooking oil for two to three days to adapt to the restructuring, which had caused a temporary shortage," he said during a press conference after a survey on cooking oil supply here today.

Effective Nov 1, KPDNKK had announced that the price of cooking oil in bottles be sold according to market price, while the price of cooking oil in 1kg packets will remain at RM2.50.

Mohd Nawardi also said that he would ensure that all shops in the state would receive their supply of cooking oil in the nearest time as there was some delay in delivery.

"I also urge suppliers to accept all brands of oil for the time being to avoid shortage. I understand that some suppliers are loyal to one brand but we need their corporation for now," he said.

In ALOR SETAR, Kedah Industry and Investment, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail said the supply of cooking oil in the state was positively adequate to meet the demand of the people, both in urban and rural areas.

"In fact, our survey today found that the cooking oil packaging factories here are capable of producing approximately 20 tonnes of cooking oil in 1kg packets on daily basis and this is sufficient to meet the demand of households in the state."

He said this to reporters after conducting a check on several cooking oil factories and supermarkets here today. Also present were Kedah KPDNKK director Mohamad Fitri Hassan, and enforcement chief Shahrudin Hamzah.

Ku Abd Rahman also proposed to the KPDNKK to look for a new mechanism to ensure that the cooking oil quota for packaging factories were fulfilled to meet the demand of the consumers in the state.

"We have 14 repackers in Kedah with an overall quota of 2,100 tonnes a month, but some of this quota were sent to other states, like Perak and Perlis as there were no regulations about sending out cooking oil packed in Kedah to other states," he added.

In ARAU, Perlis KPDNKK chief enforcement officer Jamal Nor Ahmad Harun also gave assurance of adequate supply of cooking oil, both in packets and bottles, to meet the demands of consumers in the state.

He said this was because the monthly supply quota of cooking oil in 1kg packets for the state consumption was 280 tonnes, while the actual consumption was only 127 tonnes.

"So, the supply of subsidised cooking oil in Perlis is more than enough. Two cooking oil factories in the state have no problems in producing the cooking oil in 1kg packets," he said after leading the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme operation at the C-Mart here today.

Meanwhile, he said the operation found that the supply of bottled cooking oil was plenty, while those in 1kg packets were placed near the counters and the purchase was limited to 2 packets per customers.

"We don't really encourage supermarket owner to limit the purchase, but such an initiative is quite suitable right now especially to prevent panic buying," he added.

In KUALA NERUS, Terengganu KPDNKK director Azlan Abd Samat said inspections at seven cooking oil repackers and two main wholesalers' premises in the state today found that the supply of subsidised cooking oil was still sufficient for statewide consumption.

He said apart from wholesalers who obtained their supply directly from manufacturing companies such as Delima Oil (Saji brand), Yee Lee and Lam Soon (Buruh brand), there were 11 repackers appointed to repack subsidised cooking oil in Terengganu.

"Today's inspections also found that no traders were hoarding cooking oil and manipulating the situation by selling the item in black market," he said. -- BERNAMA