I WELCOME the views of the Muslim Restaurant Entrepreneurs Association of Malaysia (PRESMA) president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan regarding the role to be played by the government, traders and consumers in dealing with the increase in food and beverage prices as stated in the AWANI Tripartite Dialogue programme yesterday (Jan 26).
Although inflation for December 2022 eased to 3.8% compared to 4.0% in the previous month as per the inflation statistics announced by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) recently, the price category in restaurants and hotels is the only price category that has not yet subsided (ie a 7.4% increase in December 2022 compared to 7.0% the previous month).
Datuk Jawahar’s view is in line with the Government’s view that consumers should be aware of the increase in the price of food and drinks purchased and to wisely choose shops and restaurants that offer better prices compared to their competitors.
Efforts to curb inflation require all parties to work together.
While we increase user access to price information that can help users buy from stores whose prices are more in line with the local average price, I am also aware of some of the challenges faced by restaurant operators with regard to various cost increases such as manpower costs due to implementation of the RM1,500 minimum wage policy.
There are several measures that are being refined to help traders and restaurant operators deal with the increases they bear, including the potential to spread the part-time workforce model (gig workforce) in the restaurant and eatery (F&B) sector.
This is part of the effort to align the job market with the demands of the economic sector which is part of the overall effort to restructure the national economy.
In the near future, I will meet with representatives of restaurant operators and food traders to discuss bilaterally the steps that can be taken together by the government and restaurant operators and food traders. – Jan 27, 2023
Rafizi Ramli is the Economy Minister and MP for Pandan.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
