RESTAURANT and stall owners have hiked their prices by up to 10% so their businesses can survive. 

They said they cannot compromise the quality of their dishes, and that they have no choice but to raise their prices.

The owners also said they need workers.

Sharon Foo, who co-owns Sin Kee Restaurant in Jalan Tun Sambanthan in Kuala Lumpur, said she has increased the price of only a few dishes.

“We are trying not to increase our prices for now as we are bearing the costs and looking for cheaper products.

“We are doing our own shopping and have stopped getting goods from suppliers. This way there is less wastage and it saves costs,” Foo told The Malaysian Insight.

The restaurant has been in operation since the 1970s, serving its signature Hainanese chicken chop, sambal prawns, claypot tofu, and other dishes. 

“The prices of cooking oil, flour and others have gone up, but we are trying our best to maintain the prices.

On July 1, the government removed subsidies for items such as cooking oil and introduced a new ceiling price for chicken. 

The subsidy for cooking oil in 1kg, 2kg, 3kg and 5kg bottles has ended, while the new ceiling price for chicken is RM9.40 per kg. The prices of eggs have also risen.

Foo said the restaurant cannot afford to hire new workers, and it is also hard to get people to work in this line.

“We used to have four kitchen staff and three waiters. They left during the pandemic.

“Now, my brother does the cooking with my mother, while I serve and take care of the cashier. We only have two staffers now to work in the restaurant.”

She said that no one wants to work long hours and the demand for pay is ridiculously high.

“Recently my brother interviewed a waiter and he was asking for RM2,800. That is a lot.”

She said that because of the staff shortage, the restaurant now operates five days a week instead of six days prior.

Selvam Corner owner S. Ganesan said that he has increased his prices slightly after losing more than half his profits.

“I raised my prices between 5% and 10% when the cost of food like cooking oil, chicken, eggs, fish and vegetables started going up.

“If prices keep going up, then I don’t know if I will raise (the prices of my food) again. I will see the situation first.”

The stall, which has served Indian fare in Brickfields since 1985, is now in Kompleks TLK in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. 

Ganesan said to cut costs, he does his own shopping.

“Some things, like fish and chicken, I have to get from suppliers. I have started to sell chicken in smaller portions.

“Previously, my ingredient supply for three days used to cost RM500. Now it’s more than RM1,000.”

He also said that since 2021, he has been looking for workers.

“There are no foreign workers and locals don’t want to work at a stall.

“I’m paying RM80 a day (RM2,080 per month) but people still don’t want to work. 

“We are giving Saturdays off and we also cover breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner.”

He said he has one worker, and his wife and daughter help out.

Pak Ngah Char Kueh Teow owner Rosni Zain said that because of the high cost of ingredients, he has raised the prices of all his dishes by RM1.

“It’s not much, but I still have to raise the prices. (The costs of ) ingredients like prawns, eggs, cooking oil, rice and others have all gone up.

“I also had to cut down on buying vegetables because of the cost. Now, the prawns I’m paying are RM50 for 1kg, when previously it was slightly more than RM30.

“Business has also slowed. It is not easy now. Sometimes after paying my staff, I can’t make any profit.”

Rosni said he is considering raising his prices further if the price of ingredients keep going up.

He also said he is having difficulties finding workers. 

“These days, they (workers) are asking for pay up to RM60 a day. For us to even earn that amount is not easy.

“Previously, I could afford four workers, now I can only get two.”

He has been operating his stall in Brickfields since 1988. – July 5, 2022.