PUTRAJAYA: Two premises in Selangor - in Petaling Jaya and Puchong - were raided on July 1, on suspicion of committing offences under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 for selling cooking oil online via well-known e-commerce platforms.

The raid in Petaling Jaya involved a rented house while in Puchong involved a shophouse, and both were used as storage and packaging of groceries for sale online.

Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Enforcement director Azman Adam said the raid on the premises in Petaling Jaya found, among others, 255 kg of subsidised cooking oil in 1 kilogramme (kg) packets and other groceries stored at the premises before being sold online.

"Further inspection found subsidised cooking oil in 1 kilogramme (kg) packets totalling 255kg. The premises also failed to produce any permit or document under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 from the controller, to deal with the controlled goods," he said in a statement today.

The action was taken against the premises on suspicion of committing an offence under Section 16 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and subregulation 3 (1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974, he said.

He added that from the information obtained, each packet of 1kg cooking oil was sold at RM 2.50 each. Also seized were several other business-related documents for further investigation, with the total value of the seizure estimated at RM637.50. A statement from a local man who claimed to be an employee was also recorded to assist the investigation.

Meanwhile, in Puchong, the team found 27 units of 1 kg, 2 kg and 3 kg bottles of cooking oil stored at the premises.

"The premises produced a retail licence under the Control of Supply Act 1961 which is still valid but the address registered in the licence is different from the address of the premises that stores the controlled items," he said.

A statement from a local woman who claimed to be the supervisor of the premises was recorded to assist the investigation as she was suspected of committing an offence under Section 20 (1) of the Control of Supply Act 1961 and the total value of the seizure estimated at RM858, he said.

Azman added that investigation papers had been opened and further investigations into the two cases would be conducted under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 to identify the cooking oil distribution chain involved, including information from where the cooking oil supply was obtained.

He said that companies could also be investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613).

"KPDNHEP would like to give a stern warning to all traders who deal in controlled and subsidised goods, especially cooking oil, to always comply with the existing laws, and the ministry will not compromise with the parties involved in the misappropriation of controlled goods," he said.

On June 30, Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation, which he chaired, detected actions of online sellers reselling one kilogram of subsidised cooking oil at RM27 for five packets, compared with only RM12.50 for five packets at the market.

Annuar has directed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to take action under the existing laws, while KPDNHEP to follow up to ensure stern action is taken against the offenders.

-- BERNAMA