Compiled by C. ARUNO, R. ARAVINTHAN and MAHADHIR MONIHULDIN
A PLATE of economy mixed rice costing RM16 in Semenyih sparked a discussion online on the rising cost of eating out in the area, reported Sin Chew Daily.
An Internet user uploaded a photo of his plate of mixed rice on Facebook and complained that it was more expensive to eat in Semenyih than Kuala Lumpur.
He used to pay between RM9 and RM12 in the capital city but was shocked that his plate, comprising meat and two vegetables, had cost more.
When confronted, the stall owner claimed that he was charged more as he had only selected the main dishes without rice as a side.
“Why don’t I take rice (the next time) and see if it will be cheaper?” the man wrote.
Many residents of Semenyih commented on his post and shared similar sentiments that eating out there is getting dearer.
“I had assumed it was only myself who thought it was getting more expensive. Now other people also have the same opinion,” a netizen wrote.
> Two dumpsters near the Pulau Mutiara wholesale market in Penang have become a treasure trove for those seeking to bag free vegetables, reported China Press.
The area became a dumping ground for vegetables which have been damaged during transportation and has recently attracted dumpster divers.
Several people could be seen taking their pickings from the two bins when a reporter from the daily visited on Tuesday.
A local resident, who was seen bagging vegetables there, said she would often bring them home to cook or give to friends.
“I only take what I need. As long as I have enough to eat. I don’t eat cabbages, therefore I don’t take them home,” she said.
A worker at the wholesale market, known only as Xie, said that a huge amount of vegetables was thrown away every day and most of them still looked consumable.
Another local resident was seen squatting in the shade and shaving off damaged parts of cabbages and putting them in containers.
When interviewed, a vegetable wholesaler known only as Gao said they would often freeze some of the vegetables they could not sell and donate the rest to old folks’ home.
She added it was common for demand for meat to rise and vegetables fall during the Ramadan month.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
