KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) — The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at fast food restaurants in the Klang Valley went about smoothly today.
Checks by Bernama found such restaurants continued to be patronised by large crowds of people during lunchtime.
According to Noorshaadah Mohd Jaafar, 37, who visited a popular fast food branch at Batu Caves, the prices of food were still reasonable after the imposition of GST.
“I do not see an increase in food prices, as my usual set of two-piece fried chicken still cost RM13 even though GST is printed on the receipt.
“I see it is not burdening to the people especially the low and middle income groups,” she told Bernama today.
Another fast food restaurant regular in Wangsa Maju, Siti Salwa Mohd Haris, 30, also found GST did not affect prices at the restaurant.
She said a burger set was like before and even the burger was still physically the same.
“I see the burger size is the same, even the price remained the same as GST has been included in the price which was prominently displayed in the menu,” she said.
Bernama also found most fast food restaurants showed the selling prices which were inclusive of GST to prevent customers from getting confused.
A restaurant assistant manager in Batu Caves, Rosdi Rosli, said the prices on display were the prices paid by customers so that they were aware of value of their purchase.
“At the moment, I have not received any complaints on the price of food as we tried to prevent the people from getting confused as each set of menu exhibited is inclusive of GST,” he said.
Even though fast food restaurants were operating as normal, operators of food stalls voiced their concerns.
According to Radiah Rashid, 36, a stall owner in Keramat, she was shocked when she found several items such as canned drinks had risen in price.
She said a carton of canned drinks which used to cost between RM18 to RM20 had risen to RM22.
“I usually buy canned drinks at a wholesale market in Sungai Buloh as it is near my house but the price has increased with GST.
“As a petty trader, how can I charge my customers GST. If I raise the price of drinks and food, I may lose my customers,” she said.
Meanwhile, another food shop operator serving east coast dishes in Jalan Tun Razak here, said the prices of food items such as chicken, beef and clams have remained the same.
He said members of the public had bought too much in panic prior to GST implementation and as such supply of many items had run out in several places.
“We usually buy 20 chickens daily but today we could only get 17 but the price has remained the same,” he said.
Members of the public can obtain further information on GST at the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) website as well as from six guide books on the list of goods with and without GST published by the ministry .
The guide books are available free at KPDNKK offices in all states and they can be downloaded from its website at http://ebook.kpdnkk.gov.my.
— BERNAMA
Source : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/newsindex.php?id=1122298
