In a move to check on hoarding of cooking oil, the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) inspected 22,498 business premises selling cooking oil nationwide between Oct 21 and yesterday.

Its enforcement director, Mohd Roslan Mahayudin said during the period, the ministry seized 42.25 metric tonnes of cooking oil worth about RM120,000 when it detected 25 errant cases.

He said among others, the cases involved hoarding cooking oil (10), failure to update stocks in record books (five) and selling without licence (four)," he told Bernama here on Monday.

Mohd Roslan said the ministry also received 269 complaints nationwide during the same period, out of which 144 cases were solved while the rest were under investigation.

"Selangor recorded the highest number at 75 complaints, followed by Johor (43) and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (24).

"Among the reasons for the complaints were absence of cooking oil supply and sale at a higher price.

On Oct 26, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin announced that effective Nov 1, the price of cooking oil in 1kg packets would remain at RM2.50 per pack whereas cooking oil in bottles weighing above 1kg would be based on market prices, following restructuring of the Cooking Oil Stabilisation Scheme (COSS).

In IPOH, state consumer affairs, human resources and civil society committee chairman Datuk Samsudin Abu Hassan urged KPDNKK to monitor the market price of cooking oil in bottles to ensure it matched the costs borne by players in the industry.

He said the market price of cooking oil in bottles was viewed as unreasonable after COSS was implemented.

"This has been the people's lament. For instance, if the price for cooking oil in 5kg bottle used to be RM13.35, now it sold up to RM21. Such a price increase is not relevant.

"Therefore, I propose the government look back whether that should be the selling price after taking into account all the costs involved or, are the industry players deliberately taking advantage of the COSS implementation?," he asked.

Samsudin was speaking to reporters after officiating the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Campaign and Perak Fair Price Shop Awards 2016 at the Federal Building here today.

Meanwhile, a check by Bernama in KUANTAN revealed consumers face shortage of cooking oil, especially in packets.

The check also revealed the supply for palm oil-based cooking oil is insufficient, while some supermarkets here sell only corn oil in bottles, which is relatively more expensive.

Restaurant operator Muhamad Akman Mustafa, 43, is left depressed as it is difficult for him to obtain cooking oil supply.

"I have to look for the suply at several supermarkets because the stocks always run out everytime I need to buy cooking oil for my restaurant, he said. -- Bernama