K’tan residents claim sugar shortage

KOTA BARU: In view of the festive seasons, demand for necessary products such as sugar has been high, particularly among local consumers.

Ainy Md Yunos, 71, a consumer from Pengkalan Chepa, said she has run out of sugar and has been looking for supplies in several grocery stores for the past three days but to no avail.

“I have had to replace sugar in my cooking and drinks with stevia,” she told Bernama yesterday.

Satay seller Siti Aminah Awang, 65, from Kampung Baung, said she needs more than 20kg of sugar a day to produce about 2,000 sticks of satay.

“The shortage of sugar supply to some extent interferes with business considering that sugar is one of the main ingredients in dishes and drinks,” she said.

Meanwhile, grocery store operator Sepiah Ismail, 64, of Kampung Landak, said the sugar supply at her store sold out two days ago.

She said she was trying to get 240kg of sugar, which she normally purchases from suppliers in the district, to cater to her customers.

Meanwhile, the director of Kelantan Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), Azman Ismail, when contacted, said they distributed 250,000kg of sugar yesterday to several supermarkets in the state.

“This supply (of sugar) will be distributed in stages, including to wholesalers and retailers from time to time.

“We expect the sugar shortage problem to be resolved within two days,” he added.