THE hawkers in my area in Penang have raised the price of a bowl of their standard fare by 50 sen (from RM4, that is 12.5%). What can be the justification for such an increase if not plain old profiteering!
The Goods and Services Tax has been replaced by the Sales and Service Tax which by and large will not have impacted the average hawker. There has been no increase in electricity, fuel and water tariffs, or at least not yet. I know hawkers are not philanthropists and are out to make a profit but that said, some sense of fair play ought to be in place.