The ministry was clarifying matters after a consumer group urged the government to intervene over the steep rise in the price of bottled cooking oil, which is now being sold for more than RM30 per 5kg.

In a brief statement, the ministry said it does not control the prices of cooking oil sold in bottles as it was not subsidised, adding that only cooking oil sold in polybags were capped by the government at RM2.50 per kg.

It said the price of crude palm oil has exceeded RM4,200 a tonne compared with RM2,500 previously, which was RM4.30 per kg before processing and bottling.

“This means that the price of crude palm oil before bottling already exceeds RM21 for 5kg. This does not include other costs and profit at the manufacturing, wholesale, distribution and retail stages.

“Please take note that the quality of subsidised palm oil in 1kg polybags are of the same quality as palm oil sold in bottles,” it added.

The ministry said Putrajaya had always allocated millions of funds to subsidise cooking oil, adding that around 60,000 tonnes of cooking oil has been allocated for Malaysians every month this year.

“That equates to 60 million 1kg polybags a month, or 1.8kg of palm oil for every Malaysian each month.”

Earlier today, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations urged Putrajaya to consider adding bottled cooking oil of various sizes to the items on its price control list.

Checks by FMT in several locations in Selangor found that 5kg of cooking oil was being sold at between RM28.90 and RM34.50. This is about RM5 more per bottle compared with the RM23.90 to RM27.90 during the fasting month.