Latest news with #ControlofSupplies(Amendment)Act2021
The Star
09-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Dr Wee: Do your homework first
KUALA LUMPUR: Amending the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021 (Act 122) was never about regulating the use of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic). The MCA president, who referred to parliamentary hansards in 2021, said the amendments only gave wider enforcement powers to Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry officers. Dr Wee also said the amendments were debated by numerous MPs from both sides of the political divide before it was passed in Parliament in March 2022. 'Not a single MP mentioned the permit for three subsidised LPG gas cylinders or the use of commercial LPG for restaurants,' said Dr Wee in a video posted on Facebook on Sunday. Dr Wee said when then Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi was giving a Parliament reply in March 2022, he never mentioned the regulation on subsidised gas cylinders. 'Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, you were not at the Dewan Rakyat then, but you could have checked the Hansard. Do your homework before accusing me,' Dr Wee said. Armizan, the current Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, had claimed that the law behind the enforcement, where eateries are required to use 14kg commercial LPG cylinders, was passed when Dr Wee was in the Cabinet in 2021. 'Maybe the regulation on the use of cooking gas in a subsidised gas cylinder not exceeding 42kg was an internal ministerial order, or an instruction from the administration,' added Dr Wee. Dr Wee said the law behind the enforcement where eateries are required to use 14kg commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was introduced since the 2000s, but it was never enforced until the first Pakatan Harapan government in 2019. 'In early 2019, the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister issued orders making it compulsory for restaurants, coffee shops and hawkers to use commercial LPG. 'But Chong Chieng Jen, who was the deputy minister, announced the postponement of that policy following public concerns over price hikes on food. He said food and beverages (F&B) operators are allowed to use subsidised LPG,' said Dr Wee. 'And now, they are trying to enforce it again under the Madani government in 2025.' He also demanded an apology from Armizan. 'You should apologise to me for your carelessness. As the spokesman of the people, I should have not been sacrificed,' he said. Meanwhile, Armizan shot back at Dr Wee, saying he was talking about the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021 during a press conference on June 5 and not the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021 which the MCA president was referring to. 'It is surely impossible to find the legal provisions that I was referring to because as I mentioned A, he was referring to Z,' said Armizan in a statement on Facebook yesterday. Previously, Armizan had said Ops Gasak is being carried out under three existing laws – the Control of Supplies Act 1961, the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021. Armizan had also said that the regulation was enforced during the previous administration in 2021, of which Dr Wee had served as a Cabinet Minister. Yesterday, Dr Wee had said though he served as a Cabinet Minister in 2021, he has never been involved in approving such regulations. On Thursday, Armizan had said that small and micro-scale F&B operators will be exempted from enforcement under the ongoing Ops Gasak Armizan said the Cabinet agreed to review the regulations on the use of subsidised LPG cylinders by such traders, after recommendations submitted by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry. Ops Gasak, which began on May 1 and will run until Oct 31, is meant to curb illegal activities such as decanting (transferring gas from subsidised LPG cylinders to non-subsidised ones), smuggling and the misuse of subsidised LPG by medium and large-scale industrial sectors. Dr Wee had said Ops Gasak should have focused on large-scale operations and at the borders, and not on petty traders and hawkers. The crux of the issue, he said, is the smuggling activities at the borders and abuse of targeted subsidies. The Petaling Jaya Coffeeshop Association has also said a switch to commercial LPG by hawkers could lead to consumers paying higher food prices.
The Star
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
I mentioned 'A' but Dr Wee referred to 'Z', says Armizan
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali. – Bernama PETALING JAYA: Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali says he was referring to another law which differs from what MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong quoted earlier on Sunday (June 8). In the war of words between the two, Armizan said in his press conference on June 5, he clearly stated that his ministry was enforcing Ops Gasak under the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021 to combat the smuggling of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), among others. "The MCA president was referring to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021. "It is of course impossible to find the legal provisions I was referring to because I mentioned 'A' but he was referring to 'Z'," he said in a Facebook post. Armizan said in 2021, the then-domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry drafted amendments to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021. "It was enforced on Oct 15, 2021, and at the same time, gazetted for public access," he said. Armizan said he was unfazed by Dr Wee accusing him as a liar but urged him not to confuse the people by quoting another law. Armizan also addressed Dr Wee's comments that he is a greenhorn MP, saying that even with lesser experience, he still respects the legal process. He had previously said this regulation was enforced during the former administration when Dr Wee served as a minister. Previously, Armizan had said Ops Gasak is being carried out under three existing laws – the Control of Supplies Act 1961, the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021. Earlier on Sunday, Dr Wee had said though he served as a minister in 2021, he was never involved in approving such regulations. "The government has the discretion to decide whether or not to enforce such policies," said Dr Wee. The Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021, which came into force on Oct 15, 2021, limits the use of subsidised LPG to a maximum of 42kg at any one time for commercial purposes. Any shop exceeding this limit must obtain a permit and switch to non-subsidised LPG. On Thursday (June 5), Armizan said small and micro-scale food and beverage operators would be exempted from enforcement under Ops Gasak. Armizan said the Cabinet agreed to review the regulations on the use of subsidised LPG cylinders by such traders, after recommendations submitted by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry. Ops Gasak, which began on May 1 until Oct 31, is meant to curb illegal activities such as decanting (transferring gas from subsidised LPG cylinders to non-subsidised ones), smuggling and the misuse of subsidised LPG by medium and large-scale industrial sectors. Dr Wee had said the Ops Gasak should have focused on large-scale operations and at the borders and not on petty traders and hawkers.
The Star
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Don't make accusations without basis, Dr Wee tells Armizan
KUALA LUMPUR: Amendments to the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021 (Act 122) was never about regulating the use of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. The MCA President, who referred to the 2021 parliamentary Hansards, said the amendments only gave wider enforcement powers to Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry officers. He said the amendments were debated by numerous MPs before it was passed in Parliament in 2021. "Not a single MP mentioned the permit for three subsidised LPG gas cylinders and the use of commercial LPG for restaurants," Dr Wee said in a video posted on social media on Sunday (June 8). He said when then-domestic trade and cost of living minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi gave a Parliament reply in March 2022, he never mentioned regulations about subsidised gas cylinders. "Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, you were not at the Dewan Rakyat then but you could have checked the Hansard – do your homework before accusing me," he said. Armizan, who is Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, had claimed that the law where eateries are required to use 14kg commercial LPG cylinders, was passed when Dr Wee was part of the Cabinet in 2021. "Maybe the regulations on the use of gas in subsidised gas cylinders not exceeding 42kg was an internal ministerial order, or it could be an instruction from the administration," he said. Dr Wee added that the law was never enforced until the first Pakatan Harapan government in 2019. "During early 2019, the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister issued orders making it compulsory for restaurants, coffee shops and hawkers to use commercial LPG. "But Chong Chieng Jen, who was the deputy minister then, announced a postponement of that policy following concerns food prices may go up. "And now, they are trying to enforce it again under the Madani government in 2025," he said. Dr Wee also demanded an apology from Armizan. "You should apologise to me for your carelessness," he said, adding he was acting as "the spokesman of the people". On Thursday (June 5), Armizan said small and micro-scale food and beverage operators would be exempt from enforcement under the Ops Gasak. Ops Gasak, which began on May 1 until Oct 31, is meant to curb illegal activities such as decanting (transferring gas from subsidised LPG cylinders to non-subsidised ones), smuggling and the misuse of subsidised LPG by medium and large-scale industrial sectors. Dr Wee said Ops Gasak should have focused on large-scale operations and at borders – not petty traders and hawkers. The Ayer Hitam MP also said consumers would ultimately bear the cost of eateries using LPG for commercial use, which costs 170% more than subsidised gas for domestic purposes.
The Star
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Govt must clearly state if small traders can use subsidised LPG, says Dr Wee
YONG PENG: The government should clearly state if hawkers and small traders are allowed to use subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. "If the government intends to allow them (hawkers and small traders) to use the (subsidised LPG), then it should be put in black and white," the MCA president said after officiating the Ayer Hitam MCA annual general meeting here on Sunday (June 1). Dr Wee, who is also Ayer Hitam MP, said there was no enforcement done on the ruling that requires a permit for the use of more than three 14kg cylinders at one time, although it was introduced during his time in Cabinet. "It is this government that is enforcing the rule and going after hawkers," he said. He said there has been widespread panic among hawkers nationwide following a Petronas directive dated April 30, which instructed gas distributors to stop selling subsidised LPG (12kg and 14kg cylinders) to all commercial premises, including food stalls. "This directive has caused confusion, anxiety and panic among small traders and hawkers. "Aside from social media, many hawkers have also approached me to voice their grouses," he said. He said many hawkers have more than three gas cylinders on standby as it would take time and extra costs to order more if they run out. As of May 1, eateries including hawkers are required to use 14kg commercial gas cylinders priced at RM70 each. The ministry also launched Ops Gasak to combat any misuse of subsidised LPG. On May 23, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, said LPG subsidies have cost the government RM3.4bil and said premises using more than 42kg LPG (which amounts to three 14kg cylinders) must apply for a permit under the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Armizan denies allegation that MADANI govt removed LPG subsidy
INANAM: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has denied the allegation that the MADANI Government had abolished gas cylinder subsidies for food outlets using more than 42 kg of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Clarifying the matter, Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said premises wishing to use more than 42kg of LPG must apply for a Controlled Goods Permit under the regulations of the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Act 2021, which has been in effect since Oct 15, 2021. Armizan stressed that any party who does not store or use LPG beyond the specified limit are not required to obtain the permit. 'Remember that the LPG subsidy amounted to RM3.4 billion last year. This subsidy is meant for public use, not business or commercial. If there are specific cases where businesses require more than 42kg of LPG, please notify me. 'We can verify whether these business premises sell items and services directly to the people at reasonable prices, especially if the cost of living is used to justify getting subsidies for their business operations. 'I don't think many eateries, let alone food stalls or burger stands, need to store or use LPG cylinders exceeding 42 kg at any one time unless they are large-scale business premises,' he told reporters after launching the Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme for Kaamatan and Gawai Festivals at Pisompuruan Hall, Kampung Kobuni, here, today. Armizan said such allegations confuse the public, stressing that the issue is not a new policy or regulation under the MADANI Government but has been in effect since 2021 under the previous administration. 'They are playing on the sentiment that costs are being passed on to the public, but the LPG subsidy comes from the people's money — public funds, including taxpayers' money. It is preposterous for the public to bear all business costs, including those of large-scale enterprises,' he added.
