Domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Armizan Mohd Ali said for now, the government is taking immediate action to prevent any disruption of refined white sugar supply in the local market leading into next year.

He said the present disruption was due to the increase in the price of raw sugar in the global market.

“The government controls the price of refined white sugar (RM2.85 per kg) without providing subsidies to manufacturers,” Bernama quoted him as saying after a Rahmah Sales programme in Kota Kinabalu today.

He said the ministry had allowed sugar imports since July, and 43 companies had been granted import quota approval permits totalling 557,080 tonnes.

This was aimed at enabling importers to seek sources of raw sugar at low rates.

However, as of Dec 12, only 5% of the sugar supply had been successfully imported into the country,  but it was more for personal use.

“If any party can import and sell refined sugar at the price of RM2.85 per kg, please apply and we will grant approval immediately,” he said.

Armizan also said that starting next year, the Rahmah Market will include elements of selling wet goods in the Rahmah Sales programme in collaboration with traders from public markets and wet markets.