Is Menu Rahmah harmful?
14 Mar 2023, 7:00am
The unintended consequences of market manipulation crowd out small traders and cause more problems than they solve.
When economic policies flounder, the ministers are not always to blame. After all, they are here-today-gone-tomorrow.
Most have no experience of being a minister and they know half the square-root of next-to-nothing about economics. So we can hardly expect them to understand.
The culprits are those who designed the policies. If they have economics degrees, their certificates should be ceremoniously ripped-up and thrown to the ground.
If they do not have economics degrees, they should stay out of economic policy.
For example, the official data on the Menu Rahmah RM5 meal scheme appears to show that multi-billion dollar brand names are already dominating the market.
As of March 12, minister in charge Salahuddin Ayub said, 1,531 premises had been registered, bolstered by at least 10 top brands with more than 1,350 outlets across the country that have joined the scheme.
Added to the existing ones, this raises the potential number of outlets to almost 2,200 when all come online, more than 61% of which will be multimillion dollar franchise outlets.
So Menu Rahmah outlets are concentrated in the hands of the mega-rich, not the micro-enterprises.
Peniaga sambut Menu Rahmah, yakin dapat sambutan
Januari 28, 2023 @ 6:58pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Golongan peniaga menyahut cabaran Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Kos Sara Hidup (KPDN) untuk mewujudkan Menu Rahmah, sebagai langkah membantu golongan memerlukan.
Inisiatif itu juga dilihat mampu menjadi daya tarikan pengunjung ke gerai makanan dan restoran bagi mendapatkan juadah yang sesuai dengan kemampuan kewangan.
Presiden Gabungan Persatuan Penjaja dan Peniaga Malaysia, Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman, berkata Menu Rahmah wajar dilaksanakan kerana peniaga juga mahu membantu golongan miskin tegar.
"Menerusi Menu Rahmah, kita boleh menyediakan nasi bersama ayam, sayur dan air sirap atau nasi bersama sardin, sayur serta air sirap.
"Saya juga sudah berhubung dengan beberapa peniaga makanan popular yang memaklumkan Menu Rahmah boleh dibuat walaupun keuntungannya kecil.
"Strategi mempamerkan Menu Rahmah di kedai boleh menarik perhatian pengunjung dan pasti ramai yang memilihnya.
"Ini sama seperti di pasar raya besar yang menjual ayam pada harga murah tetapi tetap memperoleh keuntungan," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, hari ini.
Katanya, Menu Rahmah sesuai dijual di gerai yang mempunyai ramai pelanggan bagi memastikan kos bahan mentah dapat ditampung.
Pengurus Kanan Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna Nasional (NCCC), Baskaran Sithamparam, mengingatkan peniaga supaya tidak memanipulasi Menu Rahmah.
Bekalan beras negara kekal stabil, mampu tampung keperluan rakyat
27 Julai 2022
KUALA LUMPUR - Tidak dapat disangkal peningkatan harga barangan dan juga gangguan dalam rantaian bekalan membabitkan beberapa jenis barang keperluan seperti minyak masak dan telur ayam yang kini dihadapi negara meresahkan pengguna.
Ditambah pula ada badan dunia yang tidak putus-putus memberi ingatan tentang ancaman krisis makanan yang berpotensi dialami oleh kebanyakan negara, jika beberapa isu semasa termasuk perubahan iklim dan konflik Rusia-Ukraine, iaitu negara "bakul makanan dunia”, tidak ditangani dengan baik pada kadar segera.
Mungkin bersandarkan situasi berkenaan, ada segelintir yang tertanya-tanya tentang bekalan beras negara memandangkan Malaysia masih perlu mengimport sebahagian daripada makanan ruji rakyat itu untuk menampung keperluan domestik.
Tidak perlu bimbang, demikian jawab Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Makanan (MAFI) melalui Menterinya, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee baru-baru ini yang menjelaskan bekalan beras negara kekal stabil dan mampu menampung keperluan rakyat sekalipun berlaku kecemasan.
Menurut MAFI, hal itu dapat dilihat semasa kemuncak penularan pandemik Covid-19 apabila ada negara mengalami gangguan bekalan makanan utama mereka, namun bekalan beras Malaysia kekal stabil.
Bukan sahaja mudah didapati, harga beras negara juga adalah yang terendah dalam kalangan negara ASEAN termasuk pengeksport beras dunia seperti Thailand dan Vietnam yang masing-masing pada harga RM2.70 dan RM3.34 sekilogram berbanding Malaysia hanya RM2.60.
Menurut MAFI, pengeluaran padi dan beras negara semasa mampu menampung 70 peratus keperluan domestik dengan bakinya diimport antaranya dari Vietnam, Thailand, India dan Pakistan.
Read more: Bekalan beras negara kekal stabil, mampu tampung keperluan rakyat
'Terkejut harga ikan sardin RM14 kg, kembung RM19 kg'
Julai 5, 2022 @ 2:08pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Orang ramai terkejut apabila melihat ikan sardin dijual pada harga RM14 sekilogram (kg), manakala kembung pula mencecah RM19kg.
Pembeli yang hanya mahu dikenali Fida, 31, ketika ditemui di Pasar Chow Kit di sini, berkata dia terkejut dengan harga itu kerana pada minggu lalu ketika datang membeli di pasar berkenaan harganya masih murah iaitu RM10kg bagi ikan sardin dan RM11kg bagi kembung.
"Sebelum ini ikan sardin paling mahal pernah saya beli sekitar RM12kg hingga RM13kg, tetapi sekarang harganya naik lagi.
"Minggu lalu saya beli ikan kembung pada harga RM11kg, tetapi hari ini harga naik kepada RM19kg dan saiz ikan juga lebih kecil daripada minggu lalu.
"Saya memang biasa beli di pasar ini daripada pasar di Ampang yang lebih mahal. Sekiranya ikan di sini RM18kg, di sana (Ampang) mencecah sehingga RM20kg," katanya ketika ditemui.
Beliau yang bekerja di sebuah restoran di Ampang berkata, terpaksa membeli juga ikan dan ayam walaupun harga tinggi ditetapkan peniaga.
Tinjauan BH mendapati, rata-rata peniaga ikan tidak menjual ikan segar, selain tidak mempunyai banyak stok bekalan ikan kerana sukar diperoleh pada musim sekarang.
Tinjauan ayam segar pula mendapati, peniaga masih menjual ayam pada harga RM 9.40kg yang ditetapkan oleh kerajaan.
Bagi bekalan minyak masak pula, minyak masak peket didapati kehabisan stok, selain minyak masak botol yang turut mengalami kekurangan bekalan.
Bagaimanapun, peniaga masih menetapkan harga lama iaitu RM6.70kg sehingga RM29.70kg bagi isi padu botol satu sehingga lima kg.
Fishermen's market a shell of its former self
June 20, 2022 @ 9:15am
ALOR STAR: When Salmiah Ramli first became a fishmonger, there was never a shortage of fish to sell.
The Kuala Kedah fishermen's market was a hive of activity, with customers jostling with each other to secure the freshest catch of the day from barrels of fish supplied by fishermen who tirelessly made the journey out to sea every day.
A decade later, the market is a shadow of its former self.
Only four stalls remain open for business.
The four fishmongers, including Salmiah, no longer have a wealth of choices. They sell the little that the fishermen bring in for them on any given day.
Salmiah, 58, said supply had improved slightly.
In the past few weeks, bad weather had prevented fishermen from going out to sea.
However, the overall situation remains grim.
"When I first started selling here in 2010, we had many barrels of fish to sell. The market was teeming with fishmongers and business was great.
"However, supplies have dwindled over the years. Things have also gotten worse over the past four months," she told the New Straits Times.
She said the acute shortage of fish, caused by unpredictable weather, is putting a strain on coastal fishermen.
'Chicken prices may soar if floated'
June 16, 2022 @ 7:05pm
PUTRAJAYA: Chicken prices are expected to rise next month when the floating price system begins following the end of the maximum retail price scheme on June 30.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said due to the possibility of chicken price hikes, the Finance Ministry planned to provide aid to the needy, with the plan set to be finalised by the end of the month.
"The Finance Ministry will do something to help those in need," he told a press conference after the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's monthly assembly here today.
The government has set the maximum retail price of standard chicken at RM8.90 per kg and super chicken (slaughtered and cleaned without legs, head, liver and gizzard) at RM9.90 per kg.
Previously, chicken breeders had expressed their hope that the government would allow the floating of chicken prices after it decided to end subsidies for breeders from July 1.
Nanta reminded industry players not to take advantage of the floating price by raising the price of chicken arbitrarily.
He said the ministry would monitor prices and errant traders would face action under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
Rising prices cause drop in wet market business
June 3, 2022 9:30 AM
PETALING JAYA: Vendors at wet markets are lamenting that rising prices are causing their customers to reduce their spending.
Chicken seller Mahanom Husin, who has been operating at Pasar Seri Setia for close to 40 years, told FMT many of her customers were reducing their purchases by half.
“Prices are too high,” she said.
Chicken prices have been on the rise for more than three months.
Another chicken seller, Robaiyah Amir, said she had no choice but to increase prices, selling at RM11.50 per kg although the ceiling price set by the government is RM8.90.
She claimed that she still could not make a profit because of high operational costs.
Fish prices have also been rising.
According to seafood vendor Sathish Kumar, fish prices used to fluctuate within a specific range due to weather conditions but have doubled over the past few months.
“Cencaru, for example, used to sell at between RM10 and RM11 per kg, but has since risen to RM20 to RM22,” he said.
He said some of his customers had reduced their spending to less than half of the amount they used to spend.
Lagi pengantin ditipu, pesan 700 dapat 50 makanan sahaja
10 Jun 2022, 10:09 am
PETALING JAYA- Kes pengantin baharu ditipu pihak penyedia katering terus dibongkarkan lagi selepas satu video memaparkan majlis pasangan mempelai bertukar sedih tular di laman media sosial sejak semalam.
Menerusi video berdurasi 32 saat dimuat naik di laman TikTok Nurul Norafiza, wanita itu mendedahkan dirinya seakan ditipu pihak katering apabila hanya menerima makanan untuk 50 orang daripada jumlah pesanan mereka sebanyak 700.
“Hari kebahagian bertukar kesedihan, tragedi paling sedih untuk saya dan keluarga pada 4 Jun 2022. Tidak sangka boleh jadi begini, apabila jadi depan mata, menangis tidak berhenti.
“Pesan 700 makanan, sampai kurang daripada 50, sayu hati, majlis saya hancur disebabkan pemilik katering tidak bertanggungjawab. Semoga Allah membalas di sana,” tulisnya ringkas.
Difahamkan, pemilik katering itu turut terlibat dengan beberapa penipuan majlis perkahwinan selain telah ditahan pihak polis untuk siasatan lanjut.
Sementara, orang ramai terus melahirkan perasaan simpati serta mendoakan agar pasangan itu terus tabah dengan ujian dihadapi ketika majlis istimewa mereka.
“Ya Allah, kesihannya, moga awak tabah. Saya pun sedih tengok awak menangis, sabar ya,” kata Wawazura3.
“Tabah ya kakak, semoga ada balasan buat mereka. Moga Allah kurniakan kebahagiaan di tempat lain,” doa Nayli Johar.
” Moga si pelaku dapat balasan, rosakkan kebahagian orang, sabar ya kakak,” jelas Kal Merican. -KOSMO! ONLINE
Ambil langkah tangani kenaikan harga sayur: CAP
November 23, 2021 @ 11:01am
Georgetown: Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP) menggesa Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) serta Lembaga Pemasaran Pertanian Persekutuan (FAMA) mengambil langkah segera menangani kenaikan harga sayur-sayuran yang meningkat sehingga 200 peratus sejak dua minggu lalu.
Ia susulan aduan yang diterima CAP daripada peruncit mengenai kenaikan harga barangan berkenaan.
Presidennya Mohideen Abdul Kader berkata, beberapa peruncit mengadu bahawa pengedar dan pemborong sudah memberi amaran bahawa harga sayur-sayuran lain mungkin akan naik dalam beberapa minggu akan datang.
Katanya, sayuran itu membabitkan kubis bunga daripada harga RM7 kepada RM16 sekilogram, sawi pendek RM3 kepada RM9, brokoli RM8 kepada RM20 dan sawi RM5 kepada RM8.
"Turut mengalami kenaikan ialah kacang buncis dari harga RM8 kepada RM15 sekilogram, kubis RM4 kepada RM6, cili merah RM13 kepada RM19 dan cili hijau RM10 kepada RM14.
"Sehubungan itu, CAP menyeru Bahagian Penguatkuasa KPDNHEP supaya menyiasat kenaikan harga berkenaan memandangkan ia akan memberi kesan kepada golongan berpendapatan rendah," katanya menerusi kenyataan di sini, hari ini.
Menurut Mohideen lagi, tindakan tegas perlu diambil terhadap peniaga yang menaikkan harga secara berlebihan serta melanggar Akta Anti-Pencatutan 2010.
"CAP juga berulang kali menyeru supaya FAMA mengawal pemasaran dan pengedaran sayur-sayuran di negara ini tetapi seruan kami tidak didengari," katanya lagi.
Sumber: https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2021/11/780485/ambil-langkah-tangani-kenaikan-harga-sayur-cap
Page 102 of 122