The country's Minister of Economic Affairs, Rafizi Ramli, has always had a reputation for being a straight-talking guy when it comes to issues affecting the nation and its people.
But his recent clarion call to consumers to shun businesses that increased their prices (unfairly), may have inadvertently touched some raw nerves.
Furthermore he was reported to have said that consumers were also responsible for driving inflation especially by dining out often.
Actually it is common knowledge that food is one of those things that's closest to the hearts, minds (and mouths) of most Malaysians. Watching Tik Tok may come a close second!
In fact, "tapau-ing" (packing back) from the night market and eating out can safely be considered a cherished national pastime here. So perhaps, the backlash was to be expected.
Funnily, Rafizi's statement might have also reminded a few people of the poor, ill-fated kangkong (water spinach) analogy used by an ex-PM to describe the supply and demand principle which unleashed a "green wave" of memes in the country a few years ago.
Thankfully Rafizi refrained from using a similar analogy... or the fallout may have been catastrophic.
Commenting on the matter, Professor Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia agreed it's true that consumers have a role to play on the "demand" side.
However, he pointed out that the public expected some form of government intervention or price controls - at least in the short term.
Meanwhile, according to FMT, another renowned analyst had clarified that Rafizi was essentially advising the public to be smart consumers and not be suckers.
In fact, overcharging cases by unscrupulous eateries have been making the rounds in both mainstream and social media for quite some time now.
Recently, a stall at Desa Pandan was said to have charged RM2 for a small squid (probably the size of a man's fingernail).
Incidentally, the final bill for two people inclusive of rice, drinks and some side dishes there eventually came up to a "pants-dropping" RM71.50!
Then there was the case of a group of patrons at a dim sum outlet in Kuala Lumpur being charged RM27.85 for just four glasses of chrysanthemum tea. Read here.
They might as well have stopped at a roadside stall and enjoyed a few rounds of iced cendol for that price!
In fact, last year Malay Mail reported that a reputable cinema operator was fined RM45,000 by a court in Melaka for overcharging on bottled water and potato chips.
And wait, we have yet to touch on eateries who have the gall to openly sell even the humble air suam (warm water) for a mind-boggling RM1 per glass!
In truth, there are actually many laws that protect consumers' interests in this country. Read here.
The good news is that these laws cover profiteering and overcharging of all food items which naturally includes mixed rice, nasi kandar and daun pisang!
Of course, consumers can play their part in ensuring they don't fall victim to any attempts of overcharging by always requesting a receipt.
People also shouldn't be easily swayed by "reviews" in food portals especially if they are posted by tourists as they may not be familiar with local prices.
As for mixed rice (yes, again nasi kandar and daun pisang included!) it's always wise to ask the cashier for the price "upfront" before you find a seat and start digging feverishly into your meal. This way, if you sense they are blatantly overcharging, you can simply decline.
Of course, the authorities too must play their role by making it mandatory for the menu and price list to be stated in bold and displayed prominently inside the eateries and clearly visible to the naked eye.
Not somewhere high up near the ceiling which may require the public to use a pair of binoculars just to check the price of one miserable glass of halia-O!
Furthermore, it must clearly indicate on the price list the relevant authorities' contact numbers to enable aggrieved parties (customers) to immediately report on any violation.
Admittedly, it may sound a bit radical but perhaps the relevant authorities can also consider making it compulsory for their complaints hotline or email address to be auto-printed at the bottom of the receipts!
Generally, Malaysians are quite price-conscious and smart when it comes to selecting their choice of food... even if some of their beloved hawker food may come with not-so-smart names like the popular "mee bodoh" in Melaka or the cult favourite "longkang mee" in Tampin.
Perhaps now, the time has come for consumers to rise and be extra savvy in their decision making especially for takeaways and when eating out.
Hopefully, it will have a positive impact on the demand side while the government rolls up its sleeves and focuses on the tricky supply side.
Indeed, tackling inflation is a complex and daunting challenge for any government. As for the new unity government here, it may yet turn out to be a crucial acid test.
To complicate matters, it may also entail having to factor in the income level of the people, particularly those of the fragile B40 and M40 segments.
Nevertheless, it is their job to come out with holistic, pragmatic and if necessary, "out of the box" policies that are fairly effective. Do not keep relying on textbook theories forever!
Come to think of it, has any brilliant economics "guru" ever come up with a surefire template to combat inflation?
On the supply chain side too, the government may have to deal with many external factors, as well as with cartels, monopolies and the much-maligned APs (approved permits). These can be real sticky issues to handle.
So, it looks like the Minister of Economic Affairs, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and others may have to brace themselves for the battles ahead.
Finally, of course, it has been proven many times that enforcement is the "magic rotan" that helps to get things done in this country.
So shouldn't the authorities start wielding this game-changing "enforcement rotan" more vigorously?
Still, smart consumers alone cannot fight and win the war against the rising cost of living.
Neither can the government do it all on its own in spite of the massive resources at its disposal.
It will need both pairs of hands (or more) to "take the bull by the horns" if we are serious about wanting to bring down inflation in the country.
JK Joseph is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
