25 Sept 2007 

BUKIT MERTAJAM: When Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry enforcement officers checked 261 gunnysacks of large red onions and garlic, they found the sacks lighter than the stated weight of 10kg. 

The reason, according to the wholesaler, was that “the onions and garlic had shrunk in size”. 

Enforcement chief Norashikin Abdul Hamid, who led a team of officers to a warehouse in Jalan Megat Harun here at 9.45am, did not buy the explanation and seized the gunnysacks.

“The weight difference in each 10kg gunny sack was more evident in the large red onions. They weighed from 8.35kg to 9.75kg,” she said. 

She said the 10kg gunnysacks of garlic weighed between 9.35kg and 9.9kg. 

“The 10kg gunnysack of large red onions or garlic is sold to grocers at RM15 each. If the grocers are short-changed, they might pass their loss to consumers,” she told reporters during the raid. 

She said the onions were sold at RM1.80 per kilo while the garlic went for RM3.50 to RM4 per kilo. Both are not price-controlled goods. 

“In the invoice to grocers, the wholesaler stated that that each gunnysack was 10kg but this was not the case.” she said.  

Also found in premises were 200 gunnysacks of Holland onions but they were “heavier” than the 10kg stated weight.