This is especially as the restaurants were once boycotted for doing so, said Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma).
Hence, to ensure business is not affected, it would be unwise for them to subject their customers to a price hike, added the association’s chairman, Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed.
“Customers nowadays are very sensitive.
“So, most operators are wary about raising the prices of items. Instead, they have opted for a cost-cutting mechanism,” Noorul told FMT.
Noorul urged restaurant operators to think long and hard before increasing prices.
Cooking oil prices have gone up, despite the 1kg bags being subsidised, resulting in dissatisfaction among consumers.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in response to this, said he agreed with suggestions for a price control mechanism for cooking oil.