Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin’s son, Muhammad Faisal Hamzah, and Azizul Abdul Halim, both directors of Rimba Merpati Sdn Bhd, have been charged in the Sessions Court with nine counts of violating regulations related to cooking oil subsidy.
Faking invoices
As reported by The Edge, they are accused of providing false information by producing fake invoices for the sale of cooking oil to a local retail company, which is a violation of Section 8(4) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Cooking oil is a controlled item, and therefore, the two men allegedly violated Regulation 9(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 by possessing more than 50 metric tons of cooking oil on the company’s premises in Sinar Andalas, Senawang.
The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living enforcement officers discovered fake invoices during a raid on the company’s premises on 12 August 2022.
If found guilty, the two men face a maximum fine of RM2 million for the first offence and a subsequent RM5 million fine for the second and subsequent offences.
Father was former home minister
Hamzah Zainudin, the opposition leader’s father, was formerly the home minister during the Perikatan Nasional administration and the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister during the Barisan Nasional government from July 2015 to May 2018.
The charges against the two directors highlight the government’s commitment to cracking down on corruption and enforcing regulations related to controlled items like cooking oil.
Such measures are essential to ensuring the welfare and interests of the Malaysian people, as these regulations prevent unscrupulous traders from profiteering at the expense of ordinary citizens.
The Malaysian government has taken a firm stance on regulating controlled items to ensure that they are available to the public at reasonable prices.
This case highlights the government’s efforts to protect consumers from unscrupulous businesses that seek to exploit the system for their gain.
The government will continue to investigate and prosecute such cases to ensure that the interests of the Malaysian people are safeguarded.
