Pengguna perihatin

Friday April 11, 2008

PETALING JAYA: The Government cannot do much about the increase in the price of noodles as it is not a controlled item, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad.

He, however, hoped that noodle manufacturers would keep it as low as possible.

“There is nothing much we can do as it is due to the increase in the cost of raw materials. Consumers will have to adjust to the new prices. It is up to them to judge how they want to spend their money,” he told The Star.

On the proposal by the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) to increase the number of import permits for raw materials needed to make noodles, Shahrir said the import of wheat flour was not restricted.

“I think there is no special permit needed to import flour. And I don't think importing noodles will be cheaper than those made locally,” he said.

Fomca secretary-general Muhammad Shaani Abdullah urged the Government to increase the issuance of import permits to raise the number of raw material suppliers in the country.

The prices of wheat-based noodle items went up by 20 to 70 sen a kilo from yesterday following the decision by the Flour Millers Association Malaysia to raise the prices of high and medium protein noodles on March 20 as a result of high world wheat prices.

Consumers Association of Penang president S.M. Mohamed Idris said hawkers should charge their consumers proportionately.

A check by The Star at various food outlets here revealed that operators were not increasing their prices.

“We won't increase the price of our food.” That is the unanimous response from most stall and restaurant owners.

A supervisor of Subang Jaya Pelita Nasi Kandar said that they could not simply raise prices.