Mamak mee-a! The prices are going up soon

PETALING JAYA: Come March, it will be 5% to 15% more costly to have a glass of teh tarik, roti canai or mee goreng at mamak restaurants nationwide.

While not saying what the new prices would be, Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed said it would depend on the location of the restaurant.

“For example, a cup of teh tarik at a restaurant at the suburbs or in rural areas costs RM1, but it would be more expensive at a restaurant in Bangsar.

“The proposed price list will take this into account,” he said, when met at the 17th annual meeting of the Federation of Malaysian Indian Muslim Associations (Permim) here yesterday.

Noorul Hassan said the increase was necessary as association members had been absorbing price hikes in fuel and sugar since 2009 and had been selling “subsidised” drinks and food.

“Compared to the costs that we have been absorbing, the planned price increase is minimal,” he said, adding the 6,000-odd restaurants and mamak stalls would raise prices after Presma goes on a month-long roadshow in February to brief members on the “new price list”.

“The last time there was an increase was when there was a sharp rise in fuel costs in 2009.

“Since then, we have been absorbing the increases in costs due to fuel and sugar subsidy cuts,” said Noorul Hassan, adding there was no price increase in drinks and food last year despite several sugar subsidy cuts by the Government.

“However, we will only raise prices minimally as our businesses depend on quantity in the long run.”

Last September, Noorul Hassan had assured consumers that Presma members would not raise the prices of their drinks for the time being.

Permim president Datuk Dr Syed Ebrahim Mohd Ismail said Presma, an associate member of the federation, had previously given its assurance they would maintain prices of drinks and food at current levels despite the rise in fuel and sugar costs but they could only do so “for as long as possible”.