KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 – The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has taken drastic measures to address the issue of sugar shortages in Kelantan and Terengganu. OPS MANIS, an integrated operation, was launched from 3 May 2023 until 9 May 2023 with the aim of restoring sugar supply disruptions at every level of the supply chain. The operation seeks to ensure that panic buying does not occur, legal compliance is practiced by every trader, monitoring of the existence of sugar buffer stocks in factories or storage warehouses.
And ensuring that there is no issue of sugar smuggling to neighboring countries. The results of the implementation of operations in Kelantan and Terengganu showed that the KPDN Task Force inspected 116 premises, comprising wholesalers and retailers. However, no cases of violations were reported, and no compounds were made. In Kelantan, 147,840 kg of sugar were distributed from factories to 17 main wholesalers, while in Terengganu, 269,528 kg of sugar were distributed to 19 main wholesalers.
Meanwhile, 280 premises involving 263 wholesalers/retailers and 17 supermarkets have been inspected and found to have sugar supplies. The main supermarket which is MYDIN has received the highest amount of sugar supply today by making the total sugar supply stock of 71,040 kg from the MSM company. While supermarkets that take supplies with a Distribution Center (DC) such as Econsave, Aeon Mall, Giant, and Lotus still have supplies but are unable to meet local demand and are waiting for delivery from their DC.
Overall, inspection and monitoring by the Kelantan KPDN Task Force team in OPS MANIS 2023 found that as much as 98% of the supplies received by the main wholesalers were distributed to all wholesalers or retailers and supermarkets under their supervision. KPDN will always be committed to intensifying and improving the supervision and operation of the distribution of controlled goods throughout the country to ensure that the supply of controlled goods for the use of Malaysians is always sufficient and that there is no leakage of subsidized controlled goods that will harm the country.
