SANDAKAN, June 17 — Trade enforcement officers seized 17.5 tonnes of subsidised cooking oil from an unnumbered house near here yesterday.

Sandakan district chief enforcement officer Azdy Zukkry John said the cooking oil was believed to have been misappropriated by irresponsible for the purpose of selling it in the market at RM7.60 per kilogramme, compared to the RM2.50 subsidised price.

A skid tank and a 10-tonne lorry were among various equipment worth a total of RM98,750 seized in the raid at 4.30 pm, he told a press conference here today.

He said snipped packets of 1kg subsidised cooking oil with their contents emptied were also seized.

He said the action of these irresponsible parties had created a shortage of 1kg packet subsidised cooking oil here and denying the low-income group their supply.

"Many villagers came to us and even called me up asking where has the cooking oil (1kg packets) gone to. It has been hard for villagers to get their supply,” he added.

Azdy Zukkry said a man in his thirties who was arrested in the raid admitted that he and his accomplices took the risk of misappropriating the controlled goods because of the high market price.

He said the ministry believes that the misappropriated goods were meant to be sold back to the local market and possibly to neighbouring countries too.

The case is being investigated under Sections 20(1) and 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961, which carry a fine of not more than RM1 million.

Subsequent offences each carry a fine of not more than RM3 million or maximum three years’ imprisonment or both, on conviction, for an individual.

For a company, the offence carries a fine of not more than RM2 million, while subsequent offences each carry a fine of not more than RM5 million on conviction. — Bernama