PRICES of white pomfret, white prawns and imported round cabbage, symbolic food normally found on the reunion dinner table of Chinese homes during the lunar New Year are generally cheaper in Sabah than in Sarawak or the peninsula. This was according to the ceiling price list of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.

The three are among the eight food items whose ceiling price had been set between January 15 and 29.

Round cabbages imported from China and Indonesia would only be RM3.50 per kg for in Sabah while it is RM4 per kg in the peninsula and RM5 in Sarawak.

For the white pomfret, it’s RM38 per kg in the state, RM40 in Sarawak and RM42 in the peninsula while the white prawns are RM28 per kg there over the 15-day period, RM35 in Sarawak and RM42 in the peninsula.

Fish, which by tradition are served whole during the new year, is considered propitious because the Chinese word for “fish” sounds like the word for “abundance”.

Only pork is more expensive in the African swine fever (ASF)-hit Sabah.

The price of live pig is RM19.50 per kg in its west coast districts and RM20 in the east coast while it’s only RM15 in Sarawak and the peninsula.

Pork is RM38 per kg compared to the RM27 in Sarawak and RM25 in the peninsula.

Sabah’s west coat districts are Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Papar, Putatan, Tuaran, Kota Belud, Ranau, Beaufort, Sipitang, Kuala Penyu, Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Keningau, Tenom, Tambunan, Nabawan while its east coast districts are Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Beluran,Tongod, Telupid, Tawau, Kalabakan, Semporna, Lahad Datu and Kunak.

Sabah’s east coast showed that the ceiling price of China-imported potatoes is RM4.50 per kg where it would only be RM4 per kg in Sabah’s west coast, Sarawak and the peninsula. –  January 12, 2023.