KUANTAN: Hawkers here will have to be more prudent once the cooking oil subsidy is withdrawn next month.
Insisting they that they will absorb the imminent price increase with the subsidy cut, some expressed hope that they would be allowed to buy cooking oil in 1kg polybags in bulk.
Most retail outlets have limit sales of the RM2.50 1kg cooking oil in polybags that will remain subsidised.
As such, hawkers have claimed this was why they preferred the 5kg bottles as they need more than two or three packets.
Robiah Mat Isa, 54, who have been selling banana fritters for the last 20 years at Indera Mahkota said for the sake of her loyal customers, she will not increase the price of her fritters.
“But the cooking oil price increase will affect my business,” she added.
Cake seller, Rosniza Ramli, 48, said the government should consider allowing hawkers to buy more of the 1kg cooking oil in polybags.
“The government can come up with a special mechanism to accommodate hawkers like us on this. Until that happens, I just have to be more prudent in doing my business,” she said.
State Domestic Trade and Consumerism director Sharuddin Jali said the present shortfall in supply of cooking oil at retail outlets was caused by businesses buying their cooking oil supply in bulk.
He indicated it was possible that these businesses used various individuals to go separately to the shops to purchase cooking oil because most outlets only allow each customer to buy up to two packets.
However, Sharuddin assured the public that the department is constantly monitoring the situation and has directed retailers to ensure they regulate their sales to prevent people from buying their supply in bulk.
Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin announced two days ago that bottled cooking oil would no longer be subsidised starting next month but those in 1kg polybags will remain at RM2.50.
In Kuching, a sundry shop owner at Jalan Gita, Choo Hap Joo, 60, said he would still order bottled cooking oil from the suppliers despite the withdrawal of subsidy for the commodity next month.
Most of his regular customers prefer to buy bottled cooking oil than the 1kg polybag and they would still buy from his shop, he said.
Checks at several sundry shops, mini markets and shopping malls here showed that the supply of cooking oil was normal and there was no panic buying.
Similarly, in Georgetown, cooking oil supply has been restored in several shopping malls as well as some small shops in the state, after a shortage in the past two days.
S. Thana, 48, who works at a grocery store in Lebuh Pantai said sales is likely to be brisk over the next two days as there are customers who have placed orders in advance.
“My supplies came last night and soon after we put it out this morning, you can see many customers have come to pick up their supply,” he said.
Sales executive Nur Zalia Ismail, 24, said the shortage was probably due to the widespread panic.
“When people saw the racks empty, it created panic,” said Nur Zalia who prefers to use Canola oil which may be more expensive but is not short in supply.