Homecooked food instead of eating out the answer for some to help get by

PETALING JAYA: It will be a case of DIY for some Malaysians, who say they would prepare their own meals if their regular eateries raise food prices following a 36% increase in the price of imported white rice.

Any price increase should remain reasonable, they said.

Engineer Muhammad Ashiq, who often buys breakfast from stalls outside his office, said that any big price increase would see him preparing his own morning meals instead.

“It’s very convenient to get nasi lemak from the stalls as we have to put up with the morning rush hour.

“But a spike in prices will see me preparing my own breakfast, such as sandwiches,” said the 30-year-old who works in Gombak.

Software analyst J. Karen, 48, who frequently eats out with her husband and two children on the weekends, said a rapid price increase would see her cooking on those days instead.

“I usually prepare meals for my family during weekdays, as we are all tired after going about our schedule for the day and want to come home to rest.”

Weekends, she said, would see them going out for meals.

“But if the prices of food at restaurants spike, I will spend time to cook instead,” she said.

Writer James Wong said he would be okay to continue going for rice meals at restaurants if the prices did not increase beyond RM5.

“Business operators have to survive as well. Any increase between RM1 and RM5 is fine with me in view of inflation.

“But anything more than that, I will opt for something cheaper,” said Wong, 38.

Grocery store owner Alex Chan said that almost all the available stock of rice at his store had been purchased, following talk going around several days ago that there would be an increase in the price of imported white rice.

“Our stock that was available since the past two months is now almost sold out.

“Now that the price increase is official, we have to adjust our business accordingly so our prices align with the rates set by the government,” he said.

On Friday, Padiberas Nasional Bhd announced that the price of white rice had been increased with immediate effect from RM2,350 to RM3,200 per metric tonne.

Chan said the higher price had affected his purchases from suppliers.

“We used to get 50 bags of rice for a certain price, but now we can only get 30 bags for the same price,” he added.