New MyKad To Track Subsidised Cooking Oil Purchases As Foreigners Barred From Buying

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Starting 1 March, foreign nationals will no longer be allowed to purchase subsidised packet cooking oil, as the government ramps up measures to ensure the benefit reaches only Malaysians

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the move will be backed by the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation System (eCOSS) mobile application, which tracks the entire supply chain, from refineries and packaging companies to wholesalers, retailers, and end buyers.

"Previously, there were calls to ban these sales through legal powers, but retailers raised practical concerns regarding enforcement and monitoring standard operating procedures.

"With eCOSS, the recording of data across the distribution chain enables us to enforce the prohibition on packet cooking oil purchases by foreign nationals," he said during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today, 29 January.

Armizan was responding to a question from PN's Kuala Krai member of parliament (MP) Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman.

The ban will be enforced under the Control of Supplies Regulations, pursuant to Section 6 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

Armizan also said the upcoming MyKad, set for rollout on 1 June, will include features to record purchases of subsidised packet cooking oil

The move is part of a broader effort to integrate government subsidies and aid programmes into a single system.

"We are ready to integrate. As the RON95 subsidy and the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme have been running smoothly, we will engage the Finance Ministry on integrating it with the MyKasih platform as an additional option for packet cooking oil sales," he said.

In the future, buyers will only need to scan a QR code on their identity card to complete purchases, streamlining the process and helping keep subsidy leakages in check.

The minister also clarified that there is no household quota for packet cooking oil

"The quota refers solely to the maximum amount per transaction, not per household. If a household requires more, there is no restriction, as purchases can be made by different family members, including spouses, parents or children," he said.