In a post that strikes a chord with every Malaysian’s breakfast heartache, Datuk Teng Chang Khim had a breakfast shocker that hit him right in the wallet.
It’s not the cili padi in his noodles that hit him hard, but the scorching prices reflecting Malaysia’s nagging inflation.
Teng’s morning fix, a bowl of pork noodles and a cup of Milo, cost him a whopping RM11.60. Just the Milo itself was priced at RM3.60!
Had “toothache” over pricey breakfast
“I have toothache this morning. A glass of Milo costs RM3.60 and a bowl of pork vermicelli costs RM8.00.“
He wrote in his post, “No wonder our wallets keep getting bigger as our money keeps getting smaller.”
Teng, also a former assemblyman of Bandar Baru Klang, humorously posted another FB post, “I think I’ll stick to my home-prepared breakfast. Let’s those who raise the price indiscriminately close shop.”
Netizens can relate
His posts about the sky-high breakfast prices sparked a heated debate among netizens.
Many commented that they have been suffering this ‘toothache’ for a long time, and that an RM8 price for noodles is now standard.
Some shared that a bowl of pork noodles could cost up to RM9 or more in JB. There was even a comment from Sarawak where the price soared to RM12!
Netizens pointed out that the scenario Teng faced is the everyday reality for the average Joe. In some areas, breakfast could cost as much as RM12 to RM15 per person.
They lamented that hawker food prices have become unreasonable, especially with the increase in raw material costs. It’s as if roadside stalls are now pricing their food akin to restaurant rates.
With a plain bowl of wonton noodles priced at RM8 to RM10, and a small cup of coffee or tea costing RM2.50, many fear that these steep prices will scare away customers and ultimately affect the hawker’s own business.
The discussion thread was buzzing with various comments about the prices of pork noodles around the country.
One thing’s for sure, this price hike has everyone feeling a bit more “toothache” than usual.