Sundry shop operator first to be booked in Langkawi for hoarding cooking oil

A sundry shop operator became the first individual to be booked for hoarding cooking oil in Langkawi when 885kgs of the essential item worth RM2,232 were found hidden at his premises in Kuah here yesterday.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry's Langkawi Branch Head Shamnaziman Mohamed Taulan said 765kgs of the cooking oil were packed in one-kilogramme polybags while another 120kg in 5kg bottles were discovered at a hidden corner and underneath the counter of the shop at Jalan Pandak Mayah.

"The operator failed to give a satisfactory answer on the excessive stocks that he had so we booked him on suspicion of making a false declaration and hoarding cooking oil, which is a controlled item," he told reporters.

He said the case is currently being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 which provides a fine of up to RM1 million or three years' jail or both for individual business ownership and RM2 million for companies, if convicted.

"The investigation so far had not indicated that the seized items were meant to be smuggled out from Langkawi as we believe the operator was only trying to keep the stock amidst rumours that the price of cooking oil would go up soon," added Shamnaziman.

Shamnaziman also warned food operators in Langkawi that subsidised cooking oil was only meant for their own use and that anyone caught selling the item would have to face the consequences. -- Bernama