JOHOR BARU: Johor is expected to be the first state to adopt the upgraded Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme (eCOSS) system before it is rolled out nationwide, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said the system will include tracking consumers to ensure that subsidised packet cooking oil reaches its intended recipients.
“Last year, we launched the eCOSS system, which recorded the distribution of subsidised cooking oil from manufacturers, all the way to retailers.
“However, it does not record who buys the oil at the consumer level. So while we can trace it to the retail level, leakages can still happen.
“That’s why we believe the eCOSS system should be extended to track usage at the consumer level too,” he said after launching the Buy Malaysian Goods Campaign here.
Also present were Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Fuziah Salleh, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and state investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman Lee Ting Han.
He said the upgraded system, which includes a feature to monitor purchases at the consumer level, is being piloted through Jualan Rahmah programmes nationwide.
“We have already upgraded the system to include that capability, but to ensure that it functions smoothly and doesn’t spark complaints from users, we will roll it out in phases.
“We started doing this around three or four months ago through several Jualan Rahmah programmes, where buyers must download the eCOSS app and scan a QR code when purchasing subsidised oil.
“Earlier, I had offered Johor to be the first state to fully implement the upgraded system, and it was met with a positive response. But before we implement it across the state, I need to make sure the system is stable,” he said.
Armizan stressed that the extension of the system does not mean the government is reducing subsidies or changing the existing monthly quota, which remains the same.
“What we are doing is strengthening risk management to ensure that subsidised oil is not misused or sold to unauthorised parties, especially non-citizens,” he added.
Separately, Armizan said that the distributive trade sector recorded RM1.76 trillion in sales last year, an increase of more than 5% compared with the RM1.67 trillion recorded in 2023.
He said among the initiatives that have contributed to the encouraging trend is the Buy Malaysian Goods Campaign, which aims to boost sales of local products, especially involving micro, small and medium enterprises.
He said the campaign has contributed some RM347mil in sales over the last two years through e-commerce platforms.
“We are also using e-commerce platforms to promote local products in collaboration with various parties, including e-commerce operators such as Lazada, Shopee and TikTok.
