SHOP OWNER CAUGHT RED-HANDED INFLATING PACKET COOKING OIL PRICE

IPOH, A grocery shop owner was caught red-handed inflating the price of subsidised packet cooking oil to RM3.00 each instead of selling it at the original RM2.50 during a raid by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). The retailer in Taman Indah Jaya, Teluk Intan, was caught by the KPDN Teluk Intan Branch enforcers during an Ops Samar test purchase yesterday, following public complaints about him selling controlled items above the regulated price, said Perak KPDN director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail. "A plainclothes enforcer disguised as a customer inquired about the cooking oil price from the owner's child and was told it was RM3.00 per packet. "The team found that the displayed price was RM2.50, but customers were charged RM3.00 at the point of sale," he said in a statement today. He said the shop owner received a stock declaration order under Section 8 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and will be subject to penalties under Section 22 of the Act, which includes a maximum fine of RM1 mi llion or three years' imprisonment for individuals, and up to RM2 million for organizations or corporations, upon conviction. "A total of 55 kg of cooking oil packets were seized estimated at RM165,' he said, adding that KPDN will take strict action on wholesalers and retailers violating regulations. Source: BERNAMA News Agency