Following the increased price of cooking oils, some Malaysians have tried to ‘soften the blow’ by joking around and suggesting prayer oil as an alternative for affordable cooking oil.
A man in Penang has apparently taken the joke too seriously, and literally, as he was caught mixing subsidised cooking oil and prayer oil which were later sold at a higher price! The audacity!
The Chief Officer of Penang’s Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, A. Mogan said that the man in his 50s, who was caught at his home in Taman Seri Murni (Sungai Dua) had sold the mixed oil at a price range between RM6 to RM8 per kilogram.
During the raid, a lorry was parked at the back of the terrace house and the man was at the cargo section of the vehicle in the midst of transferring subsidised cooking oil into barrels before being sold to commercial buyers.
The team also found 340 kg of subsidised cooking oil packets stored in a room in the house, which was believed to be used as a place for the man to transfer the subsidised cooking oil to industrial barrels.
Further investigation found that the man had a wholesale licence for controlled goods, with permission for him to obtain cooking oil from the cooking oil packaging place and subsequently send it directly to customers.
However, the license was obviously misused.
Mogan also said that each 1kg packet of subsidised cooking oil cost RM2.50, a far cry from the prices sold by the man, which was RM6 to RM8 per kg.
He is also believed to have been carrying out these activities for the past few months.
This is perhaps a solid reminder for us to be more alert and careful when purchasing cooking oil in the markets!
Also read: Using Prayer Oil As ‘Affordable Cooking Oil?’ Local Preacher Says Lies Shouldn’t Be Part Of A Joke
