A luxury French bottled water brand became the unexpected star of a government meeting about reducing the cost of goods, particularly chicken.
The government on Monday, 31 January 2022, announced that the ceiling price of chicken would be reduced by 20 sen from RM9.10 to RM8.90, as decided at an official meeting about the price of goods.
Mesyuarat Khas Majlis Tindakan Sara Hidup Negara memutuskan harga maksimum runcit bagi ayam standard dikurangkan 20 sen daripada harga siling yang ditetapkan iaitu RM9.10 sekarang kepada RM8.90. Harga telur ayam semua gred KEKAL spt harga kawalan SHMKM.@IsmailSabri60 @kpdnhep pic.twitter.com/kb5N7CXBqr
Eagle-eyed Malaysians quickly became incensed when they spotted an object that became a centerpiece of the video.
Those who attended the meeting physically, chaired by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, were served Evian bottled water, which retails for an estimated RM8.70 per bottle, which isn’t far from the price of whole chicken, a necessity in many households.
Many remarked that it was ironic for the nation’s leaders to be drinking overpriced water from a luxury French brand while looking into reducing the cost of living. They also slammed a local actress for defending the government’s luxury beverage bias.
A 500ml bottle of Evian is more than RM5.
A 500ml bottle of Spritzer is abt RM2.
Evian is >150% more expensive vs Spritzer.
We pay >150% higher for water that ministers & high-ranking civil staff drink.
Why the waste? Why get one of the most premium retail drinking water? https://t.co/B0tEqWtVLt
Hard to take this dramatic video seriously when it involves a 20 sen drop in the ceiling price for chicken.
Meanwhile, there is Evian mineral water (RM 8.70 per 500ml bottle – almost the same price of the chicken) on the table. https://t.co/UwIywTu0SK pic.twitter.com/ocQ5OvKMBY
What do you think? Should luxury bottled water be served at government affairs? Let us know in the comments.
