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KUALA LUMPUR – Players in the cooking oil industry seem reluctant to agree to a two-tier cooking oil pricing proposal, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the response from the industry players was based on protecting the interests of smallholders.
“From time to time, we try to solve this problem through dealings with industry players on a two-tier pricing (proposal), but it seems that the industry is a bit reluctant because they look after the (interests of) smallholders,” he said during the question-and-answer session in Parliament today.
He said this in response to a question by Cha Kee Chin (Rasah-PH) regarding the government’s willingness to increase the quota for subsidised cooking oil packets in the local retail market to ensure sufficient supply.
Before this, there was a proposal regarding the feasibility of pricing through a two-tier system for cooking oil for domestic use and export since the product is currently determined through a single-price system.
To a supplementary question by Chu regarding enforcement on leakages and whether the country is facing a crisis in the supply of the commodity, Salahuddin said that so far, the supply of subsidised cooking oil packets has not reached a crisis level.
“If there are cases (shortage of supply) that happen in certain places, (the ministry) will act swiftly,” he also said.
Apart from this, he added that the ministry will not compromise on leakages, with a total of 2,896 inspections carried out over the last two months and 13 cases brought to court. – Bernama, February 23, 2023