THE Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has directed all suppliers and companies involved in the cooking oil price stabilisation scheme to expedite packaging and distribution of subsidised goods to stave off shortages in the market.

Enforcement director Azman Adam said the issue should not have arisen because the government has approved the production of 60,000 tonnes of subsidised cooking oil a month.

“However, due to several factors such as panic buying, there was some disruption. This is exacerbated by the spread of fake news about rising prices of goods,” he told reporters in Marang today.

According to Azman, aside from panic buying, the full opening of the economic sector during the festive season also contributed to shortages.

Meanwhile, he said traders restricting subsidised cooking oil sales were breaking the law.

“Consumers with information on such practises are urged to complaints to us, so we can take action,” he said. – Bernama, January 30, 2022.