Tiada peringkat rantaian subsidi kebal ketirisan, menurut kajian

Malaysian researchers from the University of Malaya (UKM) have found that none of the subsidy tiers for cooking oil, flour and rice are completely protected from counterfeiting, according to a study. The study's legal faculty researcher, Nur Atheefa Sufeena M Suaree, said weak monitoring at every tier leaves space for various forms of abuse.

"There is no tier that is truly under control; instead, there is space for abuse in every tier," she stated while presenting the research at the 5th National Conference on Research on Campus Management, Integrity, and Anti-Racism of Subsidiary Chains in Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC). The study, conducted from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025, involved fieldwork in five zones - north, west, east coast, south, and Sabah and Sarawak.

The main causes of counterfeiting identified for cooking oil subsidies are the price gap between subsidized briquette cooking oil at RM2.50 per kilogram and bottled cooking oil priced between RM7 to RM9. The research also found abuses of home ration allowances by micro traders, non-operational premises, repackaging, and bulk purchasing or smurfing to obtain subsidized supplies.

Regarding packaging, the study found miniscule weighing of cooking oil below 1kg, despite the government paying subsidies based on full quantity. For rice and flour, the study found tampering, using fake receipts, local rice and import mixing, and inaccurate labeling. The findings suggest that counterfeiting cannot be confined to a single tier as every process from milling, purchasing, grinding, to consumption has space for abuse.

Nur Atheefa proposed strengthening the supply chain traceability system through digitalization, in addition to considering targeted and quota-based subsidies. "If we cannot do all of this, don't leave everything to chance. We need to move towards digitalization so transactions can be monitored and clearer from one tier to another," she said.