MALAYSIANS of all income groups are feeling the effects of inflation, which is pushing prices of food up.

That, along with removal of subsidies and the new ceiling price for chicken and eggs, have caused prices to double, they said.

They told The Malaysian Insight they are paying more for vegetables, seafood, meat, coffee and milk.

Some are buying less.

While the cost of living continues to rise, wages have remained stagnant, they said.

The inflation rate grew 2.8% in May, compared to the same period last year.

Among food groups, meat showed the highest increase – 9.5%.

This was followed by vegetables (8.1%); milk, cheese and eggs (8%); fish and seafood (4.3%); and oils and fats (3.7%).  For people dining out, a plate of rice with side dishes has gone up 8.3%; roti canai (7.8%), noodles (5.7%), and chicken (5.1%).

Effective July 1, the subsidy for bottled cooking oil is scrapped while the government has also raised the ceiling price for chicken to RM9.40, up 50 sen from RM8.90.

Meanwhile, grade A chicken eggs now cost 45 sen each.

Shoppers tell The Malaysian Insight how they are coping with surging prices.

Preshant Menon, 27

Preshant, who works in events management, told The Malaysian Insight that his spending has gone up to RM700 a month.

He mostly buys from upscale supermarkets such as Jaya Grocer and Ben’s Independent Grocer, and does not plan to shop at cheaper outlets such as Lotus’s or Aeon as those places are “too crowded”.

“I used to spend around RM300 to RM450 per month but now that has gone up to RM600 to RM700,” said Preshant, who lives in Subang Jaya.

“I am worried because if the current economy continues this way, I’m sure the prices will keep increasing,

“From spending RM600 a month, I could easily go up to spending RM1,000 a month if the situation doesn’t get any better,” he said.

Thawil Azhar, 58

Food stall owner Thawil was shopping at the Chow Kit wet market, which he frequents to buy groceries for his business and his own consumption, in Kuala Lumpur.

He shops daily to buy fresh ingredients and has noticed that he has had to fork out more to buy the same items.

“I used to spend RM300 daily, now it’s RM400 but I have only increased my prices by 10 to 50 sen,” Thawil said.

“Everyone is having a hard time now so I cannot afford to charge more or people will go hungry.”

He now spends RM3,000 a month on groceries compared to RM2,000 previously.

His main source of pain is the price of bottled cooking oil. He uses five to six five-litre bottles of oil weekly.

“A bottle used to cost RM13, then it went up to RM28 and now it costs RM42. Everything else has also gone up in price, including Milo, Nescafe, condensed milk and even flour.

“Only sugar has not gone up in price. The prices of meat and seafood fluctuate, but vegetables now cost a lot. A kilogramme of long beans used to cost RM4.50, now it’s RM8 to RM12.”

The father of four said he is barely breaking even.

“My priority is to ensure that I have enough money to send my children to school. It’s fine if I can’t save any money.”

Mohd Luqman Rashid, 30

Luqman, an administrative worker in Kuala Terengganu, said he has had to take up part-time jobs to supplement his income.

His monthly groceries used to cost RM1,00 but he is now paying RM1,400 to buy the same amount of food.

“Because of the prices of goods, I have had no choice but to work part time with Grab and run an online business,” Luqman said.

This leaves him little time to spend with his family, he said.

He has also had to cut down on entertainment, hobbies and holidays for his family.

“This is why we are so stressed now,” he said. 

Shahrol Roaslan, 32

Shahrol, a businessman, used to spend RM600 to RM700 a month on groceries including diapers, but he has seen his expenditures go up, causing him to cut back.

“I buy in lower quantities and will look for items on sale or promotion,” he said.

A bottle of cooking oil and 10 eggs alone will set him back RM50, he said.

But he cannot skimp on baby formula and diapers.

“When I shop, I have to be more calculative, more alert. I need to find places offering promotions.”

Wan Mohd Ramzi Wan Jaafar, 33

The Food Panda rider said RM50 does not stretch far these days.

“In the past, RM50 could get you chicken and fish, now you can hardly get anything,” Wan Mohd, who lives in Kuala Terengganu, said.

“I have not been able to save any money. As more people decide to eat at home to save money, there is less demand for riders.”

Wan Mohd said he prefers to shop at sundry shops.

“I find places like Giant and Tesco too expensive,” he said.

Raj Kumar Subramaniam, 48,

Raj, who was shopping at a sundry shop in Brickfields, had a lot to say about what the government is doing, or not doing, to control prices.

“The government must address food security issues and also the increase in prices of goods,” said Raj, who lives in Bukit Jalil.

“Monetary aid is okay for rural folks, not for people who live in the city. 

“In the end, we are expected to tap into our EPF savings, which is supposed to be for our post-retirement use.”

In the last two years, the government has provided billions of ringgit in relief packages and cash handouts for the lower-income group.

It also allowed early withdrawals from the EPF d via the i-Citra, i-Lestari and i-Sinar schemes.

The private sector worker said while the prices of 1kg polybags of cooking oil are subsidised, the item is hard to find, leaving consumers with no choice but to buy bottled cooking oil.

Norizan Abdullah, 39

The housewife said her grocery spending to feed her five children has doubled from RM400 to RM800.

“This is after cutting down the list; for example, we now buy half a dozen instead of a dozen eggs each time,” Norizan, who lives in Kuala Terengganu, said.

“My husband, who is the sole breadwinner, has not seen his salary increase.

“We have not been able to save; instead we are now tapping into our savings to make ends meet.” – July 9, 2022.