BACHOK: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) will carry out its own investigation on Malaysian subsidised cooking oil packets being smuggled across the border.

Its enforcement director Azman Adam said the ministry was aware about the cooking oil subsidy leakage.

"We are aware about this and will carry out our own investigation to identify the actual culprits behind this. We will investigate whether cooking oil suppliers and retailers in the country are involved.

"We will also co-operate with other border enforcement agencies to curb Malaysian subsidised cooking oil packet from being smuggled to the neighbouring country," he said. 

He told this to reporters after visiting a factory producing cooking oil packet at Beris Kubur Besar here today.

Azman said each month the government released a quota of 60,000 metric tonnes of subsidised cooking oil to manufacturers which in turn was distributed to suppliers and packaging companies.

"We do not want certain quarters to take advantage of the government's subsidy items by sending it across the border.

"Therefore, over 2,000 KPDNHEP officers nationwide have been told to monitor this closely," he said.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani had said that police were ready to back the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry through joint operations to curb cooking oil subsidy leakage.

He said Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director had met with the ministry's secretary-general to discuss the matter.

During the meeting, he said the implementation of audits and operations on cooking oil packets were discussed.

It was also agreed that joint operations would be held, and arrests and seizures would be handed over to the ministry for further action.