KUALA LUMPUR – The Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran India Malaysia (PRIMAS) says restaurant operators will not proceed with a proposed price increase of up to 50 per cent if the government is able to control rising operating costs affecting the industry.
Its president, Datuk J Govindasamy @ Suresh, said Indian restaurant operators are currently facing mounting cost pressures due to increases in several key areas.
He said these include higher prices for cooking gas, electricity tariffs by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), water charges, raw materials, as well as packaging costs.
“The continuous rise in diesel and petrol prices has also had a direct impact on transportation and logistics costs, further increasing the overall operational burden,” he said in a statement today.
Despite these challenges, he noted that operators have been absorbing the rising costs for as long as possible in an effort to avoid passing the burden on to consumers.
However, he said the situation is becoming increasingly difficult as operational expenses continue to rise across all aspects of the business.
“This is no longer sustainable if no immediate measures are taken to stabilise these cost components,” he added.
PRIMAS stressed that if the government takes prompt action to stabilise the prices of gas, electricity tariffs, water charges, raw materials, packaging materials, as well as diesel and petrol, the association is prepared to maintain current menu prices without any increase of up to 50 per cent.
The association said government support is crucial to help the industry sustain current pricing levels and prevent further cost pressures on the public.
PRIMAS emphasised that its priority is to ensure food remains affordable while allowing businesses to operate sustainably.
It also urged the government to introduce effective cost-control measures to support the restaurant sector and prevent any price adjustments that may impact consumers.
At the same time, PRIMAS reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the government to find practical solutions that balance industry sustainability and consumer interests. -MalayaDailyToday
