Tiada peringkat rantaian subsidi kebal ketirisan, menurut kajian

Malaysia's subsidized food supply chain, including rice, oil, and palm oil, is rife with corruption, according to a study conducted by the University of Malaya (UKM). Legal Faculty researcher Nur Atheefa Sufeena M Suaree stated that no level of the supply chain is completely controlled, leaving room for abuse at every stage.

The study, conducted from August 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025, covered five regions: North, West, East Coast, South, and Sabah and Sarawak. For oil subsidies, the primary cause of misuse was identified as a price disparity between subsidized oil and market prices, ranging from RM2.50 per kilogram to RM7-9 per liter. The research also uncovered abuses such as micro-businesses exploiting rations, unauthorized premises, repackaging, and bulk purchases or "smurfing" to obtain subsidized supplies.

At the re-packaging level, Atheefa noted that some oil was weighed below 1kg, despite the government paying subsidies based on full quantities. For rice and palm oil, the study found instances of weighing manipulation, fake receipts, local rice and palm oil mixing, and inaccurate labeling. She explained that the findings indicate corruption cannot be confined to a single stage, as each step—from millers to distributors to consumers—has room for abuse.

Atheefa proposed digitalizing the supply chain system, along with considering targeted and quota-based subsidies. "If we cannot implement all these measures, we shouldn't leave everything to chance. We need to move towards digitalization so transactions can be tracked and monitored from one stage to another," she added.