CAP: Sugar price increase a good move

GEORGE TOWN: Any sugar price increase will bring more good than harm to the people, said the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).

Its officer Uma Ramaswamy said CAP would give its strong backing should the Federal Government decides to increase sugar prices.

“Such a move will effectively reduce the high consumption of sugar in the country and the number of diabetics.

“Food and drinks high in sugar will increase in price as well.

“This means that people will stop purchasing such items,” she said yesterday.

A check by The Star showed that supermarkets and sundry shops were still well-stocked with sugar.

A hawker, who declined to be named, said the price of sugar had been RM2.80 per kg for quite a while.

“I usually use 10kg a week for my business,” she said.

If the sugar price increases, she said she would just raise prices as well.

Yesterday, MSM Malaysia Hol­dings Bhd, the country’s largest refined sugar producer, said it had increased the prices of its premium sugar to wholesalers by 20% to 30% in November.

The high global price of raw sugar, plus the plunging ringgit, have pushed up prices.