Minister Moots App Tracking What People Buy To Prevent Subsidy Abuse

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The use of smartphone applications to record purchases of controlled goods has been proposed as one of the measures to monitor the distribution of subsidised goods, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said the government was still looking into the best possible method and several recommendations were given to prevent leakage in the wholesale purchase of goods including cooking oil in 1kg polybags in the market.
“One person is only allowed to buy two packets (cooking oil in polybag) but some consumers, after making their purchase, will go to another store and buy some more, we are aware that this is happening.
“With the smartphone application we may be able to track and prevent further purchases and this applies not only to cooking oil but other subsidised items as well,” Alexander (above) said after visiting a cooking oil packaging plant today.
In warning industry players not to get involved in the misappropriation of subsidised and controlled goods, Nanta said he would not hesitate to suspend their company licence if they were found guilty.
Also present during the visit were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry Sarawak branch deputy director Peter J Berinus Agang and Kota Sentosa assemblyperson Wilfred Yap Yau Sin.
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference, Nanta said the ministry’s role in determining the ceiling price of chicken in the market was focused on enforcement in ensuring that traders adhered to the stipulated ceiling price.
He said an engagement session was held today with poultry industry players as well as senior officials from the ministry and Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (MAFI) to discuss the issue.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the price of chicken in the market would not be floated so as not to burden the people.
Meanwhile, in a media statement today, Nanta informed that no complaints or offences were recorded in Sarawak on the hoarding of controlled items during the 2022 Anti-Sorok campaign held from January to June 18 this year.
He added that so far, the supply of packaged cooking oil in the state was sufficient and the shortage of supply in some premises was only temporary.
- Bernama

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