Price Reduction Campaign – A Success?/ 削价运动成功了吗？

I’m quite amazed by the Minister of Trade and Consumer Affairs saying that the price reduction campaign has been a success. I wonder on what basis the Minister makes such a conclusion.

Any man in the street will tell you that the price of a lot of basic necessities and products in hawker stalls, restaurants and sundry shops remain the same. There may be a reduction in selective items or products, but generally, people will agree that prices have gone up for most goods.

When the price gone up dramatically last year, a lot of food outlet increases food price by 10 – 15%, citing the increase in oil price, electricity tariff and gas as justification for the increase in the prices. Since then, prices of oil have dropped equally dramatically. Anyone can tell you that prices in food outlet and all daily necessities have not gone down.

When I first came to Kuala Lumpur in 2004, the typical char kuey teow or prawn mee was only RM3.00. Today, it is RM3.80 – RM4.00. This means that there is an increase of 25 – 30 percent. For an average worker, one can safely assume that the income has not been able to cope up with the increase of food, not to even mention about the basic necessities and the comfort of life.

In time to come, hawker food will not be regarded as inexpensive. In view of the shortage of foreign workers and food outlets are very dependent on foreign workers, maybe we should practice what has been practiced in European cities. In Europe, the packed food for take away is even cheaper than eating within the premise. Maybe every food outlet should be looking at this alternative.

We should also relook at the calculation for inflation index in Malaysia. Food, transportation and house rental as basket of price should be reviewed. Otherwise, our inflation figure can be misleading.

The latest figure shows that inflation now is 3.9% last month compared to 9% in July last year.

This inflation figure does not reflect the reality on the ground. With savings interest in the bank at 2.5% and the inflation figure 3.9%, it is negative return if a person put his money in the bank. The worst hit are pensioners depending on savings since it will be negative return.

我很惊讶国内贸易与消费人事务部长认为削价运动已取得成功，我想问部长的这项结论有何根据？

走在街上，任何一人都会告诉你，无论是在小贩摊档、餐馆或杂货店里售卖的必需品，价格仍然有起无落。也许一些物价格确实已下调，但绝大部分的物品价格仍高居不下。去年，继石油、天然气何电费调涨后，市面上的物价水涨船高，食品价格涨幅10%至15%。之后，虽然汽油价格获得调降，却不见商家下调食品及必需品价格。

2004年我首次来吉隆坡， 当时一碟炒粿条或一碗虾面只卖3令吉；今天已涨至3令吉80仙至4令吉，平均涨幅25至30%。一名普通职员的收入已无法承担食品起价的速度，更庸说其他的生活必需品及开销。

今后，小贩中心的食物已不再便宜。由于大量依赖外劳的饮食业面对外劳短缺，或许我们应该向欧洲一些城市看齐，推行外卖打折的做法。

我们也应该检讨马来西亚通货膨胀指数的估算方法，同时检讨食物、交通及屋租等一揽子物价。否则，我们的通膨指数或与实况有出入，甚至误导大家。最新数据显示，我国上个月的通膨率是3.9%，去年7月则是9%。这个数据根本无法反映实况。目前银行的储蓄利息是2.5%， 通膨指数为3.9%，把钱存入银行等于负数回酬。如此以来，那些依赖储蓄生活的退休人士将首当其冲。

因此，当局必须检讨以上数据，让消费者知道国家的经济实况，以正确规划个人和家庭收支。