KUALA LUMPUR: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) is developing a control system to address leakages in subsidised packet cooking oil, including purchases made by foreigners.
Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh today told the Dewan Negara that the system is currently being tested before being implemented nationwide.
She added that the system would allow monitoring all the way down to the consumer.
Earlier, senator Hussin Ismail had suggested that foreigners were infiltrating the economy and businesses as a result of deficient laws and lax enforcement.
“We are aware of the concerns raised by the honourable senator that foreigners are gaining access to controlled goods such as cooking oil, sugar, and petrol.
“Each of these controlled items has its own unique problem, but for now, the supply of sugar is sufficient, so it’s not a major issue.
“However, for packet cooking oil, it has become an issue for Malaysians because they have difficulty accessing it when foreigners buy it.
“So, what the ministry is doing is developing the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme System (eCOSS) application, which covers the entire chain, including wholesalers, retailers, and consumers,” she said while wrapping up the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) on behalf of KPDN in the senate today.
Elaborating on the application, she said users must scan a QR code and will only be allowed to make a purchase once their citizenship is verified. She added that the same application will also be used for petrol purchases.
“God willing, soon we will use the same approach for RON95 purchases, requiring an identity card check at petrol stations. This is our future plan in an effort to protect subsidised controlled goods so they do not flow to foreigners, with each of these having a different implementation strategy,” she said.
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