No price hike at Malaysian mamak shops, Indian restaurants

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 31 (ANI): Customers at mamak and Indian restaurants in Malaysia will not be asked to pay more for their teh tarik and roti canai as the two associations representing these eateries have given an assurance they will not hike up their prices despite the increased cost of sugar and cooking gas.

"We have held meetings with the Malaysian Muslims Restaurant Opera­tors Association and the Malay­sian Indian Restaurant Operators Association and they have assured us their members are not planning a price hike," The Star quoted Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consu­merism Ministry deputy secretary-general Daud Tahir, as saying.

Tahir also said that the ministry would be meeting representatives of Chinese eatery operators soon to discuss the matter but it was confident that they too would not raise prices indiscriminately.

He added that the ministry cannot act against any price increase of food and drinks at these places as the items sold at the eateries do not come under its list of controlled items.

However, the ministry would reportedly monitor the situation and accordingly advise the operators of these eateries, he added.

"But consumers have the power to force unscrupulous operators to reduce their prices by boycotting eateries looking to make quick gains," he added.

Daud said the ministry had carried out its own calculations from the higher prices and noted that price increases would range between one and three sen per item. (ANI)