KUALA LUMPUR – Effective March 1, only Malaysian citizens will be allowed to purchase subsidised cooking oil packets, with sales linked to national identification cards to prevent diversion, smuggling, and unauthorised purchases.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the move will enforce the ban on foreigners under the Supply Control Regulations, pursuant to Section 6 of the Supply Act 1961, with legal provisions referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers prior to enforcement.
Currently, the ministry uses the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation System (eCOSS) to track transactions from refineries and packaging companies to wholesalers and retailers. From June 1, the new MyKad rollout will allow purchases to be recorded at the point of sale using QR codes, and the system will be integrated with the MyKasih platform, following the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) model.
“The quota applies only per transaction, not per household. Families can make multiple purchases via different members,” Armizan clarified.
The programme provides a monthly quota of 60,000 metric tonnes of subsidised 1kg packets, primarily for Malaysian households, especially B40 groups, and is intended to prevent industrial misuse and smuggling.
To accommodate elderly, low-income, and rural consumers without internet access, the ministry will maintain manual recording options at selected retail outlets. Pilot rollouts began in Putrajaya, followed by selected outlets under Program Jualan Rahmah Madani and Johor, before expanding nationwide.
As of November 18, 2025, 928,037 consumers had downloaded the eCOSS application. Armizan said the integration with MyKad will simplify purchases and help authorities and retailers enforce eligibility, while ensuring subsidies benefit Malaysians. – January 29, 2026