KOTA KINABALU: The battle against the misappropriation of subsidised fuel and other controlled goods has been given a shot in the arm thanks to better cooperation between the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and 16 other enforcement agencies.
The ministry spearheaded a workshop aimed at coordinating efforts between the agencies to better curb as well as eradicate leakages of controlled items, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
The agencies include the police, Customs Department, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Immigration Department, Eastern Sabah Security Command, Sabah Port Authority and Kota Kinabalu City Hall.
Its Minister Datuk Mohd Armizan Ali said the workshop covered various aspects such as logistical needs, security support, information sharing and handover of cases from the agencies to the ministry.
He said improvements to the enforcement mechanism were vital considering Sabah and Sarawak will not be involved yet in the retargeting of diesel subsidy programme which will only be implemented in the peninsula in the second quarter this year.
Armizan added that various measures were being carried out to fight illicit trade of fuel and other essential goods, including the continuation of Ops Tiris, which aims to combat misappropriation of subsidised diesel and auditing of custodians of controlled items.
“We will also audit up to wholesalers, permit holders of controlled goods and exporter companies, among others, so we can see where the sales and items are going to,” he told reporters after the workshop here yesterday.
