KUALA LUMPUR: THOSE celebrating Deepavali are managing the shortage of cooking oil in the market by sending family members to search for the commodity at various shops.
Supermarkets have limited the amount of cooking oil each family can buy.
Teacher P. Shanti, 54, from Seremban, said she got all members of her family to purchase the commodity separately.
Her family had a practice where different members of the family would host the Deepavali feast each year and they had set up a fund to share the costs.
“To overcome the problem of low cooking oil supply, we decided that each of us would bring our own cooking oil to the host’s home. We allow the host to manage the fund and use it as needed for the feast,” she said.
Apart from the designated host, other members would also prepare a dish each to be served at the feast.
K. Meera Sharmally, 52, said her family also celebrated Deepavali in a similar manner.
“My family would assign one person to purchase a certain item so we do not have to worry about the cost of the feast,” she said.
Meera said the highlight for her family this Deepavali was feeding guests.
“We must ensure our guests are happy with our food, so food is our priority. As cooking oil is a main item, we instructed four family members to buy them while others buy items such as rice flour, dhal and flowers,” she said.
Meera said other than food, prayer items were also on their shopping list, but since most of them were reusable, they only buy what was necessary.
“We don’t use oil lamps as they are dangerous. We prefer LED lights and those can last for years, so we don’t buy them every year,” she said.
It was reported that most outlets were limiting the purchase of cooking oil to two bottles per family.
This followed rumours that subsidy for cooking oil would be stopped by the end of the month.
Consumers and restaurateurs were seen buying big amounts of cooking oil for Deepavali, and to cut costs in case the price of the commodity goes up next month.
The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry has yet to issue a statement on the matter.
A source from the ministry said it will make an announcement soon and urged consumers not to overreact to rumours.
In George Town, Penang Hindu Association deputy president P. Murugiah said the shortage of cooking oil was a big blow for those celebrating Deepavali.
He said in preparation for Deepavali, large quantities of oil were required to make cookies, murukus, savories, curries, tidbits and snacks, as well as to light oil lamps at houses and temples.
“Such an essential item is not available, except for the expensive ones, ranging from RM8 to RM16 per kg, which are out of reach of the poor.
“Consumers have been looking for normal cooking oil, which is usually priced at RM3.30 per kg, by going to different outlets daily. We urge the government and the relevant ministries to address the matter,” Murugiah said.
A survey carried out by the association at retail shops, supermarkets and sundry shops in Penang found that most of them had no stock of normal cooking oil.
However, checks by the Penang branch of the Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives Ministry at four major cooking oil wholesalers, as well as hypermarkets on the island, showed that there was no shortage of cooking oil, with the supply sufficient to meet the demand in the state for the festivity.
The ministry’s state enforcement director Mohd Narwadi Saad said the shortfall situation observed by the association was isolated.
“There have been reports that certain customers had snapped up cooking oil at certain outlets, with the pictures taken immediately to give the public an impression that the shelves looked empty.
“Our visits showed suppliers have topped up the cooking oil shortfall to restore parity shortly afterwards.”
He urged consumers to lodge complaints with the ministry to tip-off any shortage so that his team could act against errant quarters.