Latest news with #Murugiah
Asia News Network
03-07-2025
- Business
- Asia News Network
Subsidised cooking oil allegedly sold for prayer use in Malaysia's Penang
KUALA LUMPUR – Penang Hindu Association claims unscrupulous suppliers making profits of over 200% by repackaging product Penang Hindu Association (PHA) is claiming that some bottles containing prayer oil, sold at nearly RM9 per litre, are actually just ordinary, subsidised Malaysian cooking oil, which can be purchased for RM2.50 per litre. Its president Datuk P. Murugiah urged the authorities to clamp down against the practice. He claimed that unscrupulous suppliers were making a profit margin of over 228%, adding that subsidised cooking oil was meant for low-income households. 'We found that most of the 'prayer oil' sold in the state, especially in temple supply stores, is actually repackaged subsidised cooking oil, originally priced at RM2.50 per litre. 'One particular brand is now being sold at RM8.20 per litre in the open market as oil for ritual use. Some brands cost even more. 'The practice, if left unchecked, will defeat the purpose of the subsidy meant for the B40 group,' he added. Introduced to help keep daily essentials affordable, Malaysia's subsidised cooking oil comes in locally packed polybags. Murugiah said any loophole in the system would put pressure on domestic oil supplies and affect both consumers and honest retailers alike. 'The issue is not new. In 2023, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry caught a trader repackaging subsidised cooking oil into different bottles and selling it as prayer oil at high prices. 'Some suppliers even resorted to using colour dyes in the oil to deceive the authorities. 'We hope the ministry will look into this and carry out frequent spot checks at retail outlets, especially those selling religious paraphernalia,' he said. Murugiah said the association also wanted clearer labelling regulations. 'We urge the ministry to compel prayer oil traders to declare the source of their products and clearly list the retail price on the packaging. 'This is in line with labelling laws and to ensure consumers are not misled,' he said. He added that the association also supported a nationwide rollout of the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme (eCOSS), designed to track the supply of subsidised oil from refinery to retail. He said eCOSS could plug the loopholes currently exploited by rogue suppliers. He urged consumers to stay alert and check the source of the oil purchased for prayer use. 'It is important not to be misled by unscrupulous parties,' he added. Penang Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) director S. Jegan said action would be taken against anyone involved in the misuse of subsidised goods. He said the ministry was consistently monitoring the use of cooking oil, not only supply issues, but also its misuse, including for religious rituals as highlighted by PHA. 'However, we have not received any official complaints on this matter.
The Star
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
‘Subsidised cooking oil sold for prayer use'
Murugiah is urging the authorities to compel prayer oil traders to declare the source of their products and list the retail price in their packaging. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star Penang Hindu Association claims unscrupulous suppliers making profits of over 200% by repackaging product Penang Hindu Association (PHA) is claiming that some bottles containing prayer oil, sold at nearly RM9 per litre, are actually just ordinary, subsidised Malaysian cooking oil, which can be purchased for RM2.50 per litre. Its president Datuk P. Murugiah urged the authorities to clamp down against the practice. He claimed that unscrupulous suppliers were making a profit margin of over 228%, adding that subsidised cooking oil was meant for low-income households. 'We found that most of the 'prayer oil' sold in the state, especially in temple supply stores, is actually repackaged subsidised cooking oil, originally priced at RM2.50 per litre. 'One particular brand is now being sold at RM8.20 per litre in the open market as oil for ritual use. Some brands cost even more. 'The practice, if left unchecked, will defeat the purpose of the subsidy meant for the B40 group,' he added. Introduced to help keep daily essentials affordable, Malaysia's subsidised cooking oil comes in locally packed polybags. Murugiah said any loophole in the system would put pressure on domestic oil supplies and affect both consumers and honest retailers alike. 'The issue is not new. In 2023, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry caught a trader repackaging subsidised cooking oil into different bottles and selling it as prayer oil at high prices. 'Some suppliers even resorted to using colour dyes in the oil to deceive the authorities. 'We hope the ministry will look into this and carry out frequent spot checks at retail outlets, especially those selling religious paraphernalia,' he said. Murugiah said the association also wanted clearer labelling regulations. 'We urge the ministry to compel prayer oil traders to declare the source of their products and clearly list the retail price on the packaging. 'This is in line with labelling laws and to ensure consumers are not misled,' he said. He added that the association also supported a nationwide rollout of the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme (eCOSS), designed to track the supply of subsidised oil from refinery to retail. He said eCOSS could plug the loopholes currently exploited by rogue suppliers. He urged consumers to stay alert and check the source of the oil purchased for prayer use. 'It is important not to be misled by unscrupulous parties,' he added. Penang Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) director S. Jegan said action would be taken against anyone involved in the misuse of subsidised goods. He said the ministry was consistently monitoring the use of cooking oil, not only supply issues, but also its misuse, including for religious rituals as highlighted by PHA. 'However, we have not received any official complaints on this matter. 'Enforcement officers will continue to act under all relevant laws, including those governing subsidised goods,' Jegan said.
The Star
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Penang Hindu Association claims subsidised cooking oil being repackaged as prayer oil
GEORGE TOWN: In an effort to prevent the misuse of subsidised cooking oil, the Penang Hindu Association (PHA) is urging consumers to always check the prices and the source of prayer oil before buying. In a statement, PHA president Datuk claimed that most of the oil used in Hindu praying rituals and temples is actually being misused and derived from subsidised cooking oil meant for low-income households. "We found out that most of the 'prayer oil' sold in the state – especially in (prayer material) supply stores – is actually repackaged subsidised cooking oil," he claimed. He added that subsidised oil, which is priced at RM2.50 per kilogramme, is sold at as high as RM8.20 per litre for use in rituals. "In a recent price survey carried out by PHA, a particular prayer oil brand is listed at RM8.20 per litre – which is a mind-blowing 228% profit from the actual subsidised price and some brands of prayer oils cost even more," he said in a statement on Thursday (June 26). He said this practice, if left unchecked, will defeat the purpose of the subsidy meant for the B40 group and when this oil is rerouted into religious retail at such inflated prices, the benefit is lost-and someone else pockets the profit. Murugiah said the issue is not a new problem and just two years ago in 2023, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry caught a trader repackaging subsidised cooking oil in different bottles and selling them as prayer oil at high prices. He said some suppliers would even use dyes in the oils in order to hoodwink authorities. He said PHA is calling on the ministry to tighten enforcement and conduct frequent spot checks at retail outlets, especially those selling religious paraphernalia. "We urge the ministry to compel prayer oil traders to declare the source of their products and list the retail price clearly on the packaging. This is in line with labelling laws and will ensure consumers are not misled," he said. He said the association also supports a full nationwide rollout of the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme System (eCoss), which is designed to track the supply of subsidised oil from refinery to retail. He believes eCoss can plug the loopholes currently exploited by rogue suppliers and he also urged consumers to stay alert and check the source of the oil they buy for prayer use. Meanwhile, Penang Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director S. Jegan said they consistently monitor all activities involving the use of subsidised cooking oil to prevent misuse or diversion. He said monitoring is not limited to supply but also covers all related activities, including the use of cooking oil in religious rituals such as temple offerings by Hindu devotees, as mentioned by the PHA. While no official complaints have been received so far on the matter, he said the department continues to carry out its duties, including those concerning the misuse of subsidised goods. "The ministry will not hesitate to take action against any party found involved in the misappropriation of subsidised items. We urge anyone with information regarding such misuse to report it to us. This will help facilitate prompt enforcement and, at the same time, prevent unnecessary panic or public concern that could lead to disharmony," he said. – Bernama
Barnama
26-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
PHA Urges Vigilance Over Misuse Of Subsidised Cooking Oil In Hindu Rituals
GEORGE TOWN, June 26 (Bernama) -- Penang Hindu Association (PHA) is urging consumers to always check the prices and the source of prayer oil before buying them, in an effort to prevent the misuse of subsidised cooking oil. In a statement, PHA president Datuk alleged that most of the oil used in Hindu praying rituals and temples is actually diverted from subsidised stock that are meant for low-income households and being misused for religious purposes. "We found out that most of the 'prayer oil' sold in the state, especially in temple supply stores—was actually repackaged subsidised cooking oil. Originally priced at RM2.50 per kilogramme (kg) in the open market, it now fetches up to RM8.20 per litre in the form of ritual-use oil. "In a recent price survey carried out by PHA, a particular prayer oil brand is listed at RM8.20 per litre, which is a mind-blowing 228 per cent profit from the actual subsidised price and some brands of prayer oild cost even more," he said in statement today. He said this practice ,if left unchecked , will defeat the purpose of the subsidy meant for the B40 group but when this oil is rerouted into religious retail at such inflated prices, the benefit is lost—and someone else pockets the profit. Murugiah said the issue is not a new problem and just two years ago in 2023, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) caught a trader repackaging subsidised cooking oil in different bottles and selling them as prayer oil at high prices. He said some suppliers would even resort to using colour dyes for the oils in order to distract the authorities and PHA has now called on KPDN to tighten its enforcement and conduct frequent spot checks at retail outlets, especially those selling religious paraphernalia. 'We urge the Ministry to compel prayer oil traders to declare the source of their products and list the retail price clearly on the is in line with labelling laws and will ensure consumers are not misled," he said. He said the association also supports a full nationwide rollout of the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme System (eCOSS), which is designed to track the supply of subsidised oil from refinery to retail.
The Sun
30-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
B40 families receive aid via free groceries initiative
GEORGE TOWN: Since January, over 300 low-income and hardcore poor families across Penang and neighbouring regions have received grocery aid through the Penang Hindu Association (PHA) and Klinik Derma Sivasanta (KDS). On Wednesday, an aid distribution event was held at KDS in River Road, involving 60 families. Another 10 families who could not attend due to medical or caregiving responsibilities had the aid delivered to their homes. Since early this year, the two organisations have distributed grocery packages worth RM180 each to families in Penang Island, Butterworth, Prai, Sungai Bakap, Nibong Tebal, Simpang Ampat, Kulim and Ipoh. Each aid package includes more than 35 essential grocery items, vegetables, milk powder for children and senior citizens, diapers, health products, face masks and a vegetarian meal. The initiative is sustained entirely through public donations and support from several NGOs. PHA president Datuk P. Murugiah said the charity efforts were in response to the rising cost of living, inflation and concerns over job losses. 'Some families have had to borrow money just to buy food, medicine, milk for their children and even to pay for transport to school ,' he told theSun. Murugiah, who also coordinates operations at KDS, urged the government to carry out a comprehensive study on the current poverty situation. However, he pointed out that such conditions may not be fully visible through official statistics alone. Beyond food aid, the two entities have also extended support to bedridden individuals and those suffering from conditions such as cancer, stroke and kidney failure, by providing partial financial assistance to cover medical bills. Additionally, PHA supports underprivileged students by providing laptops and partially covering academic fees. More than 50 students have benefitted through the programme. 'None of this would be possible without the compassion and generosity of our donors,' Murugiah said. Established in 2012, PHA is a non-profit organisation committed to the welfare of underprivileged communities in Penang and neighbouring states. Over the years, it has been involved in community service initiatives, including funeral rites and cremation for unclaimed bodies from hospitals and care homes, providing vegetarian meals for senior citizens and assisting students in need. KDS, a charitable medical clinic founded in 1982 as a welfare wing of the Temple of Fine Arts, provides free medical care to the public, with a focus on serving the underprivileged. It has expanded its services to include a mobile medical unit for rural outreach and currently also offers free legal services to those in need. This grassroots effort, now in its 27th year, continues to provide a safety net for many urban poor families. According to a study by Unicef Malaysia in August 2024 involving 433 low-income households in Penang, 27.9% of respondents said they had to cut down on food due to financial constraints.
