Price hikes inevitable for Ramadan as traders contend with higher operating cost

SHAH ALAM - With the holy month of Ramadan just around the corner, price hikes at the bazaar are inevitable given the expensive costs of raw materials.

Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman shared his hopes that traders will not raise the price of food too much to the point where it becomes a burden to consumers.

“We have discussed with the traders. We acknowledge the fact that the cost of raw materials is getting expensive.

“Which is why we have encouraged them to raise the price of the goods that they sell, but to a reasonable extent. Since chicken is still expensive, any dish that has chicken in it should be a little more expensive than usual.

"I only agree to price hikes because the prices of raw materials, fuel prices and even basic necessities are on the rise,” he said.

Commenting further, he said that traders should try not to reduce portions sizes because it will not give satisfaction to the consumers.

Rosli added that bazaar traders are not encouraged to raise the price too high considering how they are not required to pay the rent compared to shop owners.

“All they need to operate is a licence,” he explained.

He also hoped that traders can comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) that had been set to prevent further Covid-19 infections.

“Cleanliness is of utmost importance, and we must obey the instructions set by the Health Ministry to prevent Covid-19 infections,” Rosli said.