JOHOR BARU: The Johor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry seized 1.635 million metric tonnes of cooking oil worth RM8.47 million from a packaging company in Kulai last Wednesday.
Its director, Lilis Saslinda Pornomo, said the seizure was carried out following an inspection that revealed the quantity of cooking oil on the premises exceeded the storage limit approved under the Wholesale for Scheduled Controlled Goods Licence.
She said the issue was uncovered following an audit conducted by a team of enforcement officers from the ministry's headquarters in Putrajaya on the company's cooking oil sales transaction documentation.
"The Johor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry conducted an inspection at a cooking oil packaging company in Kulai at 8.15pm to obtain information and to submit a stock declaration under Section 8 of the Supply Control Act 1961.
"The inspection found that the quantity of cooking oil exceeded the storage limit approved under the Wholesale for Scheduled Controlled Goods Licence.
"Therefore, the ministry seized 1,635 metric tonnes of various types of cooking oil, valued at RM8.47 million, and also confiscated several business documents for investigation," she said in a statement today.
Lilis Saslinda said the case would be investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961 and violations of Regulation 9(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974.
If found guilty, the penalty can be up to RM1 million or imprisonment for three years, or both, for the first offence, and for subsequent offences, a maximum fine of RM3 million or a maximum imprisonment of five years, or both.
For organisations or corporations, the maximum fine is RM2 million for the first offence and RM5 million for subsequent offences.
Lilis Saslinda said the Johor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry would not relent in combating syndicates that manipulated restricted commodities.
"We welcome public complaints and have provided channels to facilitate the submission of complaints and the provision of information."