KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Malaysians can expect to pay more for mamak food and traditional Chinese medicine come the new year as proprietors say they cannot absorb the rising costs of goods.
“But definitely we will impose an increment by next year, at a reasonable rate. We will minimise our increment,” Jawahar was quoted saying.Besides costlier goods, Jawahar said the food and beverage industry is struggling with worker shortages, forcing employers to fork out higher wages to hire staff, thus increasing overhead costs.
“A carton of 48 cans of condensed milk used to cost RM107 a year ago but now it’s RM127. Imported dhal increased from RM123 to RM129 in just a week and we can’t do anything about it. “Since March 2020, approximately 1,000 food outlets closed shop as they could not sustain the cost of running a business.”
According to Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Association president Ng Po Kok, most of their stock are imported, and there is currently a shortage of supplies, which is proprietors had to push up the prices. Ng said along with the price hikes, they are expecting to get fewer patients, especially those from poor financial backgrounds.