I mentioned 'A' but Dr Wee referred to 'Z', says Armizan
PETALING JAYA: Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali says he was referring to another law which differs from what MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong quoted earlier on Sunday (June 8).
In the war of words between the two, Armizan said in his press conference on June 5, he clearly stated that his ministry was enforcing Ops Gasak under the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021 to combat the smuggling of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), among others.
"The MCA president was referring to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021.
"It is of course impossible to find the legal provisions I was referring to because I mentioned 'A' but he was referring to 'Z'," he said in a Facebook post.
Armizan said in 2021, the then-domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry drafted amendments to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021.
"It was enforced on Oct 15, 2021, and at the same time, gazetted for public access," he said.
Armizan said he was unfazed by Dr Wee accusing him as a liar but urged him not to confuse the people by quoting another law.
Armizan also addressed Dr Wee's comments that he is a greenhorn MP, saying that even with lesser experience, he still respects the legal process.
He had previously said this regulation was enforced during the former administration when Dr Wee served as a minister.
Previously, Armizan had said Ops Gasak is being carried out under three existing laws – the Control of Supplies Act 1961, the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021.
Earlier on Sunday, Dr Wee had said though he served as a minister in 2021, he was never involved in approving such regulations.
"The government has the discretion to decide whether or not to enforce such policies," said Dr Wee.
The Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021, which came into force on Oct 15, 2021, limits the use of subsidised LPG to a maximum of 42kg at any one time for commercial purposes.
Any shop exceeding this limit must obtain a permit and switch to non-subsidised LPG.
On Thursday (June 5), Armizan said small and micro-scale food and beverage operators would be exempted from enforcement under Ops Gasak.
Armizan said the Cabinet agreed to review the regulations on the use of subsidised LPG cylinders by such traders, after recommendations submitted by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
Ops Gasak, which began on May 1 until Oct 31, is meant to curb illegal activities such as decanting (transferring gas from subsidised LPG cylinders to non-subsidised ones), smuggling and the misuse of subsidised LPG by medium and large-scale industrial sectors.
Dr Wee had said the Ops Gasak should have focused on large-scale operations and at the borders and not on petty traders and hawkers.
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