Eateries allowed to increase food prices by only 0.1%

STAR, 4 September 2013

PETALING JAYA: Eateries which increase food prices after the fuel price hike will face stern action, says Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek.

He said that unfair price increases were defined by sudden hikes and prices that were not in line with the market norm.

“If your neighbourhood mamak restaurant is selling roti canai at RM1.50 when a week ago it was RM1, you should call the ministry. Another suspicious sign is when shops refuse to exhibit price tags.

“Consumers must report in with the exact facts so we can act immediately. Anything more than a 0.1% hike in prices will be looked into,” he said yesterday.

Hasan urged consumers who encountered unfair profiteering to call the ministry hotline at 1-800-886-800, or email in to e-aduan@kpdnkk.gov.my.

He said those found to have in­­creased prices without permission could be charged under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2010.

Separately, the Land Public Trans­port Commission (SPAD) warned taxi drivers against raising fares.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar advised taxi firms to wait for the commission’s impact study on the fuel price hikes before it issues its recommendations.

On how soon the price review for public transport would be implemented, Syed Hamid said: “Don’t ask me for an exact date but we are working hard on it.”

He said requests for increase in fares by public transport companies were justifiable.

“But SPAD has to look into the quantum and how it would affect the public.”

SPAD slams bus fare move

STAR, 16 June 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: The fare for express buses should just have a surcharge of not more than 10% during the Hari Raya season and tickets should be up for sale from July 1, said Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

Its chief executive officer Mohd Nur Kamal said the usual 10% surcharge would not be exclusive to additional buses sourced out by bus operators but also applicable to the existing fleet as well.

He was responding to Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association's (PMBOA) request seeking a 30% increase in bus fares and its reluctance to sell advance tickets for July and August until they received the Government's confirmation over the rate hike.

He chided the association for taking advantage of the Hari Raya season “to put a gun to our head with public interest at ransom, forcing us to decide on the fare review in a matter of weeks”.

“I think this seemed somewhat orchestrated to create panic among the public and put pressure on us,” he said in an interview.

He said PMBOA had raised the issue of the rate increase via a letter dated May 28 to SPAD.

Mohd Nur said SPAD spoke to several industry players and they were not on board with the increase as not all industry players were members of PMBOA.

“In fact, they are ready to sell the tickets as normal. We also found out that there was communication in the form of phone calls and text messages from certain parties to these other companies not to sell the tickets,” he said.

“This is against the Competition Act 2010 that came into force early last year. This has become a major problem and we are in communication with Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) to make a report and get to the bottom of this.

“If this is going to be the first landmark case so be it. SPAD is not here to make sure some companies maintain their profit level but we are here to protect public interest,” he said.

Mohd Nur said SPAD had been cooperative in engaging with the industry for improvement.

“We are actually in the midst of reviewing all land public transport operations that include light rail transit, stage buses, taxis and chartered vehicles in the aspects of efficiency, asset utilisation, productivity, competition as well as fares, but it's not a simple process that can be decided in a matter of weeks.” he said.

SPAD: Meet state government to settle woes

STAR, 9 January 2012

PUTRAJAYA: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has urged the Malacca Omnibus Operators Association to meet the state government to resolve its financial woes.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the problem could be settled if the group discussed the matter so that an agreement could be reached.

He said there was a need to review the public transport system in the state.

“We need to examine the whole system, including the ticketing system, routes and fares, among others, to improve the current situation. Bus operators should also be financially ready to compete with one another,” he told The Star.

The Government, he said, had come up with short-term measures to help keep bus services, particularly on unprofitable routes in rural areas, afloat.

On Dec 19, the Government pledged a RM400mil fund to support troubled stage bus companies. SPAD began receiving applications on Jan 3.

Stage bus operators in Malacca had threatened to halt their services from Feb 1 in protest over the state government's failure to solve the concessionaires' woes.

Malacca Omnibus Operators Association president Razali Endun said 10 of the concessionaires decided to halt their buses after no financial lifeline was rendered as pledged by the state government.

“The impending strike was aimed at forcing the state government to pay compensation to the ailing bus operators as promised in July.

“We have waited for the monetary assistance until Dec 31 but there was no response from the state government,” he said.

Last November, the Malacca Government agreed to buy all 10 stage bus companies servicing about 130 routes in order to alleviate the financial burden faced by the local concessionaire.

Razali said the bus operators suffered huge financial losses as much of their earnings were allocated for maintenance of their aging fleet, besides salary payments to about 1,500 staff.

“Our woes are further compounded by the existence of state government-funded bus service Panaroma which services lucrative routes.

“We are forced to ply the social route that is not covered by Panaroma, which is unfair to us,” he added.