The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has warned traders against imposing conditions on consumers when selling controlled goods following a complaint involving a supermarket in Semenyih, Selangor.
KPDN Enforcement director-general Datuk Azman Adam said traders must comply with the law and should not take advantage of consumers or impose conditions that could affect their interests.
The warning came after KPDN received a complaint alleging that customers at a supermarket were required to spend at least RM300 on other goods before they could purchase one-kilogramme packets of subsidised cooking oil.
Following the complaint, KPDN enforcement officers conducted an undercover test purchase at the premises.
Azman said the officers were allegedly subjected to the same condition and had to purchase other goods worth RM303.65 before being allowed to buy 17 packets of one-kilogramme cooking oil.
The 17 packets of cooking oil cost a total of RM42.50.
“The transaction and incident were also recorded to assist the investigation,” he said in a statement today.
KPDN is investigating the case under Section 19 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (Act 122) for allegedly imposing conditions in the sale of scheduled controlled goods.
The ministry seized several packets of cooking oil, business documents, transaction receipts and items involved in the test purchase for further investigation.
The total value of the seized items was RM104.
Azman said KPDN would continue to strengthen monitoring and enforcement and take firm action against any party found to have committed an offence.
