Price comparison on study on basic drinks soon
SIBU: A price comparison study on basic drinks enjoyed by the masses involving coffee shops across Sarawak will take off within a week or two.
According to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen, the study is expected to be completed as soon as possible.
He, however, was quick to point out there was no decision yet whether to impose standardisation or ceiling prices for these drinks.
“After today’s ( yesterday) discussion, we will be collecting from coffee shop owners throughout Sarawak prices of basic drinks like ‘ Kopi O’, ‘ Kopi Peng’, Milo ‘O’ and so on, as well as prices for different sizes (of drinks).
“We will collect the database and make a study – comparison of prices – and we will take it from there. There are (also) some suggestions on ceiling prices, recommended prices – these are some suggestions to standardise ( prices of drinks), but we will have to do further study at our ministry level,” Chong told a press conference here yesterday after a dialogue with Sibu Coffee Shop and Restaurant Owners’ Association.
He added: “But to start with, we will start collecting all this data on prices of basic drinks of the masses to get the best price. There are rules and laws about anti-profiteering.
“However, for the time being, we will not get into that yet as we will
After today’s (yesterday) discussion, we will be collecting from coffee shop owners throughout Sarawak prices of basic drinks like ‘Kopi O’, ‘Kopi Peng’, Milo ‘O’ and so on, as well as prices for different sizes (of drinks). Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
get the data first and do a study and see how to proceed from there.”
Asked if prices of drinks will be standardised across Sarawak after the study, he said: “I can’t answer yes or no at the moment. We have to discuss at our ministry level.
“There are 34 zones across Sarawak and my answer is – if we do standardise or impose ceiling prices – this ( prices of drinks) will vary from zone to zone. Like the festive price control scheme, there is price standardisation for certain basic items – meaning, the standardised prices in Kuching will vary from that in Sibu, Kapit, Sarikei and so on.
“It will not be one price ( standardised) across the state. I just want to stress clearly, we have not made any decision yet. Today ( yesterday), we are receiving feedback on how to prevent some coffee shops from charging too high a price, which is unreasonable.
“There will be some measures to be taken but we have not made the decision,” he clarified.
Chong said the dialogue stemmed from some complaints received by the ministry on very wide variations in prices of basic drinks served in coffee shops.
He highlighted that the ministry’s ultimate concern is that the difference in prices will add to the cost of living among the people, especially the B40 ( bottom 40 per cent) group.
He hoped that there will be no increase in prices of drinks after the implementation of Services and Sales Tax (SST).
“We can assure the public that for these few months controlling price hike will be our top priority including enforcement against any profiteering activities.”
In this regard, he described the dialogue as very fruitful, adding that the inputs from the association were very constructive and helpful to the ministry to curb any unreasonable price hike.
Chong also mentioned that they will have similar sessions with other business sectors such as retailers and wholesalers.
Meanwhile, Sibu Coffee Shop and Restaurant Owners’ Association chairman Tong Ing Kok handed a letter to Chong pertaining to the problems faced by operators here.
According to Tong, they have about 350 members.
Also present at the press conference were Pelawan assemblyman David Wong, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department Sarawak director Datuk Stanley Tan, deputy director Md Nawawi Abdul Rahman and Sibu branch chief Roslee Maslie.