Sweet news for the rakyat

PETALING JAYA: Supply of the coarse and refined white sugar, also known as “gula rakyat” or the “people’s sugar”, will not be disrupted when a new sugar type hits the market this week, says a sugar producer.

The new product, called the pure white refined sugar, would be made available in the market in stages beginning this week and sold throughout the country, said MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd.

The company, one of the two local sugar producers permitted by the government to produce the pure white refined sugar, said the new product would retail at RM4.60 per kilogramme.

In comparison, current government-controlled prices for the coarse and refined white sugar is RM2.85 per kilogramme and RM2.95 per kilogramme respectively.

“The introduction of the pure white refined sugar is just an additional choice for consumers who prefer quality products.

“This product will enhance the culinary taste in sweet food and beverage items,” MSM Malaysia Holdings group chief executive officer Syed Feizal Syed Mohammad told The Star yesterday.

Syed Feizal, however, assured, that the supply of the coarse and refined white sugar would not be disrupted.

Before the introduction of the new pure white refined sugar, he said the government had already imposed a condition on sugar refiners to ensure supply of 42,000 tonnes of coarse and refined white sugar per month.

“This is to ensure that supply for the domestic consumption will not be disrupted and we have been adhering to this ever since,” said Syed Feizal.

On May 25, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub announced that the government had allowed two local sugar-producing companies – MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd and Central Sugars Refinery Sdn Bhd (CSR) – to produce pure white refined sugar.

He said this would give consumers a choice of sugar, besides the existing coarse and fine refined white sugar, which are often described as the “people’s sugar”.

Salahuddin also said the price of the new sugar would not be controlled by the government but determined by the market.

Meanwhile, consumers welcomed the introduction of the new type of sugar but want the government to ensure sufficient supply of the more affordable coarse and refined white sugar.

Home baker Nur Diana Roslan, 37, who runs a small dessert catering business, said the new sugar could be used to make specialty desserts for clients who are willing to pay the premium price.

“From what I understand, there will still be enough supply of the normal types of white sugar so people and business owners like me will not be forced to buy this premium sugar.

“It’s nice to have an additional option and there’s obviously a market for this product, otherwise it would not have been produced,” she said when contacted.

Nur Diana also said there must be strict enforcement so that producers and supermarkets would not hide the more affordable sugar types to force people to buy the premium sugar.

“We must continue to have the options,” she added.

Trader Zahidah Abdul Samad, 56, who runs a traditional Malay kuih stall, hoped the government would keep close tabs if there is a sugar shortage to ensure ample supply for the people.

“The move to make more sugar options available to the people is good, but at the same time, I hope there will be enough supply and that the prices will continue to be controlled.”

She hoped the prices of sugar would remain as the prices of all the other ingredients had been increasing.