Enough sugar in hypermarkets

STAR, Tuesday August 18, 2009

Reports by YENG AI CHUN, IVAN HO, JOSHUA FOONG, R.K. SHYAMALA and AUSTIN CAMOENS

PETALING JAYA: Consumers are heading for the hypermarkets and supermarkets to get their supply of sugar as most sundry shops and convenience stores are running low on stock.

Most major hypermarkets in the country were sufficiently stocked with the commodity for the festive season.

A spokesperson for AEON Co (M) Bhd, which manages the Jaya Jusco supermarkets and departmental stores, said the company did not have a shortage in sugar supply and had enough stock at all stores.

“We have limited the purchase of sugar to 2kg per customer to be fair to everyone. This is to ensure that supply will reach even the small households,” she said when contacted yesterday.

No laughing matter: Shopkeeper Wan Salleh Wan Jusoh standing next to a sign saying there has been no sugar for one week at his shop near Taman Nakhoda in Kuala Terengganu.

A Carrefour Malaysia Sdn Bhd spokesperson said although there had been shortages in some of its outlets, the hypermarket chain had enough supply.

“We stock up our shelves every day and we urge consumers not to panic-buy because there is enough supply for everyone,” she said, adding that each family was limited to purchase 3kg of sugar.

Housewife Agnes Chee, 63, from Taman Tun Dr Ismail, complained that sugar was unavailable at the sundry shops in her neighbourhood.

“This is why I am at a hypermarket today,” she said.

Heng Keok Poh, 48, who owns a biscuit business here, said he found the limitation hypermarkets and shops imposed on the purchase of sugar annoying.

“As I am limited to only four packets of sugar, I had to bring my wife along to buy more sugar, and have to make frequent visits to the hypermarket,” he added.

Shopkeeper A. Syed Farook, 47, said he had not been selling sugar for the past 10 days.

“When I contacted the suppliers, they claimed that they had run out of stock and were unsure when it would be available,” he said.

In Klang, a grocery shop owner who only wanted to be known as Raja said he had been limiting every customer to 1kg of sugar.

He added that his customers had scolded him and vented their frustrations on him for the shortage.

In Johor, state Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Hoo Seong Chang said there was sufficient supply in the state as it received about 8,000 tonnes of sugar monthly.

“There are 38 wholesalers here who receive sugar directly from the Central Sugar Refinery in Shah Alam,” he told newsmen after launching a price-listing campaign at a hypermarket in Taman Tampoi Indah yesterday.

He added that 170 officers from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry would be working closely with Customs officers at all entry points to check sugar smuggling.

In Sabah, Bernama quoted state Consumer Affairs and Community Development Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun as saying that the shortage in the state would be alleviated with the arrival of 300 tonnes from the peninsula soon.