Malaysiabest.my - Swindling case

4 chinese restaurant operators have pointblank accused 2 writers Edmund and Jonathan, from www.malaysiabest.my  of swindling them of $20,000 for a non existent  best restaurant competition.

The duo had supposedly convinced the proprietors that their respective restaurants had been chosen to take part in a " Best Restaurant" competition. The money was for registration and advertising purposes.

When there was no development forthcoming and they failed to contact the duo, the four went to the MCA.
And the MCA found another 9 operators who had also suffered the same 'fate'.

The duo has denied cheating them however .
Probably they will state that this is the 'standard charges' in exchange for ' a good review'. 

The claim of them being swindled is highly argumentative unless something in black and white was signed.

Chances are they will get away like most crook writers do. Highly unlikely that bluffing or misleading, will ever be made a criminal offence unless you sue them.
Such unscrupulous writers all come with a bagful of stupid excuses ranging from 

1. " this is entirely my own opinion" ( if that were so why are ads blinking on your site?)
2. " everyone has different prefences" (yet anyone who says it is borhochiak gets censored )
3. " I pay for all my meals " (but how come your reviews are looking nicer but tasting lousier?)
4. " no msg " ( this category should never be given the licence to write)
5. " one man's meat another man's poison" ( but how come almost everything you recommend tastes like poison?)
6. " can't please everyone " ( either your tastebuds died or you just chew and swallow like a 90 year old )

or whatever bullshit they can think of next

What this whole episode really means is, if the food ain't good and the bloggers or reviewers wax lyrical about it or the place ,they were probably paid a bundle to tell readers beautiful lies with highly photoshopped pics to make something inedible look appetizing and desirable.

Which is what this blog is all about in the first place since I USED TO BE (no more) a reader of such notorious blogs and mainstream media postings.
These pariah writers truly deserve what's coming to them for conjuring such incredible lies , expecting to get paid for it ,with such bloated heads they fantastically begin to believe they are an adulated authority on Malaysian cuisine we all love terribly ( pumped up statistics aside), when they're really delusional greedy cheats.And that's the bottomline .

Read the link from Harian Metro
http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/Tauke__8216_restoranterbaik__8217_terpedaya/Article

Hyperventilating Hot Air - The Real State of Penang's Dining Scene

I  read an article somewhere today in a local newspaper that suggests to the ordinary reader, that the dining scene in Penang is on an upswing.That Penang is pulsating with food outlets that can rival KL. That Penangites have finally begun to loosen their wallets and are willing to spend,spend,spend.

Instead of pulling the wool across people's eyes, I think a few perceptions or misconceptions need to be corrected.

A lot of these restaurateurs have parked their asses on prime property and have indirectly or directly contributed towards the insanely spiralling prices of shophouses .
They sniffed and sought out shophouses in the heritage enclave long before, even to the extent of relocating from other countries to our island.
One such outsider, not a foreigner but a Malaysian, who opened a chain in three states,managed to recoup his losses and profitted from his ONE single prewar shoplot in Penang,even when his business failed . He has since gone on a buying spree.

This mania to turn in a profit that has been speculated to return another 5 fold, in turn has forced OUR people, those very unfortunate and downtrodden ones, into even less savoury dwellings.
There came a time when there were so many old folks sleeping on the streets, forced out of their tiny space in these shophouses. I don't know what has become of them ever since. Either they have died, mysteriously vanished or they are regularly rounded up and shipped off to welfare homes, I really have no idea.

Essentially property vultures with patience of gold, they will sit and wait as our beloved Georgetown falls apart bit by bit, hidden under the painted aesthetics of another garish restoration project that looks more at home in Singapore. Absolutely nothing like Penang.
They would rather sit and wait,preferring not to sell as they await THE buyer and deprive another emaciated soul of a cheap,convenient dwelling into laying a cardboard for the night over a cold pavement.

Those located in shopping complexes , especially if they are well known chains, started off well, only to sell it off ( for reasons best know to them ) to people who really shouldn't be given the licence to operate any restaurant to begin with,much less fry an egg even.
Standards start to fall, quality is compromised, food served begins to suck big time,flies start to lay eggs and the blame game points to the tightwads not bad, compromised dishes.

The most glaring of all to epitomise this preposterous state of affairs , is the report that the Delicious group HAD ALREADY CHANGED HANDS when they opened at Straits Quay,relieving themselves of a torrent of jitters. That explains a heck of a lot as to why they took so long to open and why the heck the food tasted the way it did . Different owner already .
Read the boss' proud confession in today's The Star 2.
I did not make this up.

As for Straits Quay being the catalyst for change,who are you kidding.
EVERYONE especially the outlet operators in that complex, know that the entire place is quiet except on special occasions or another failed epic event where the freeloading participants have padlocks on their wallets . Period. Stop the lies.

A few years back saw an influx of out of state property investors flooding Penang.Most sought out apartments and homes. Unlike commercial properties, let's just say, while some struck a pot of gold, most found things out the hard way and have been pretty much stuck here ever since.

The most important thing to remember is when the scene falters or business stagnates , they bring in the writers. To conjour fluff and hype.

So, writers and reviewers, before you go around wholesale and lump the so called 'new breed' of Penangites as willing to carefully spend money like water, check your conscience.

You seem to have forgotten that many outsiders today make up the new Penang , while most of us are juggling our lives between a home in Kedah or the mainland and an underpaying job on the island or elsewhere, That just as many are working in far away places like China, Singapore, Vietnam, the middle east even , returning just once in a while to splurge on their families and make up for the guilt of being apart for so long.

Get your facts right first instead of helping speculators strangle the very last breath of life out of Georgetown with an uncontrolled viciousness. You have forgotten our own kind, and you have forgotten what it is to be poor in your unceasing obsession for writing fame and paper riches.

Subway Restaurant @ Straits Quay

Old mother hubard is a retiree who runs this franchisee place. She doesn't dress in uniform,doesn't put on an apron,thinks her terrible dress sense makes her ugly face look better.
In fact she doesn't even wear a cap to keep out her nest of hair cos it is so crazily tussled like she just tumbled out of a cupboard.

Old mother hubard doesn't like to clean the place.She leaves trays and cups and wrappers lying all over without batting an eyelid. Half an hour goes by,even one hour later,she still refuses to clear anything.
If you are a customer who wants to sit down and eat in,you have to do the clean up yourself or push it to the next table because she is still not bothered with the mess.It is her way of getting free unpaid labour.
Needless to say crumbs are all over the place,tables are wet and dirty,yet she just doesn't give a damn.
It's not her problem. It's yours. Her job is just to, collect the money after putting a miserable sandwich together for you,stretching out the inner expensive ingredients, so she can piece them together and make herself a free meal at your expense.

Old mother hubard not only runs this place but also has other interests in another place within Straits Quay.Money minded, profit driven , kiamsiap, allows her customer to get the shortest end of the worst deal.
Forced customer charity begins with sandwich under construction.

I want to tell you what this hygienically challenged sunken triple chinned aunty's sandwiches taste like

1. Tomatoes are bleaugh,soft,overripe,warm
2. Bacon looks inedible
3. Lettuce is WET,water logged,warm
4. Breads have such a lot of airspace in between when you bite,must be EXPIRED !
5. Counter foods are not stored at the correct temperature
6. Expensive ingredients are less to increase profit.More veggies are piled up,less hams and meats ,also less cheeses are given
7. Onions stink cos she obviously used her hands and not gloves
8. Coffee has been compromised and I suspect alternately substituted with other cheaper brands
9. Iceman comes,no gloves,dirty shirt, sweating,she gets HIM to pour in the ice himself straight into the drink dispenser.This spectacle wearing witch is THAT LAZY.
10. Overall  verdict : NO GOOD,BAD QUALITY,FOOD POISONING POTENTIAL , CHEATING CUSTOMERS BY REDUCING UNNOTICEABLE AMOUNTS OF EXPENSIVE INGREDIENTS.

By shortchanging you,all that extra savings goes into her pocket/free boss/franchise holder/family/staff meal.

Fans are switched on to the maximum speed cos she either has a problem coping with hot flushes or she simply loves driving customers out of the shop by freezing them to death till they cannot warm the seat longer than they would like to.

If you think I'm just being extremely demanding as usual, a check on foursquare reveals the following

Shun Jie   : April 12,2011 They never smile to you

Jayson G : August 21,2011 Stuff is kind of lazy, poor services :-(

small r     : December 1, 2011 No bread supply ask customer wait for 2hours ....swt

chintee    : September 7, 2011 Beware of miscalculation of the total amount. The staff sometimes calculates wrongly when you buy not just a sandwich

yee theng : November 15, 2011 Service very very bad

On top of that, I found this posted on their facebook about their Beach Street outlet

Miss Klieo Lee says :

Dear Subway Malaysia, I am very disappointed with the fact that I can't post on your wall. I want to complain about your outlet at Beach St, Penang. I've been there 3 times the past 1 month and I must say, I am disappointed with all 3 visits. Quality of the food and service is really bad that I actually felt embarrassed seeing tourists at your outlet. I wonder what they were thinking in their minds. I used to visit Subway at Kelana Jaya very often and I totally love that place. Unfortunately, I can't say the same of this Penang outlet. As a standard question, you may ask me what happened etc. Trust me, just send your trainer down there and get the SOP right!

April 7 at 5:51am

2012 : Hawkers Raise Prices Yet Again

There is absolutely no justification for the price increase,yet here we go again.
They're all a bunch of shortchanging hoodlums.
Is it not obvious to see?

So here,I give you an imaginary list of reasons taken from an imaginary press statement issued by their imaginary hawker association head named Lala Lee Tham Pom

1. Protection money went up due to 04 and 08 triads on a collision course with each other
2. BR1M  RM$500 benefits dished out to the hardcore poor,with Astro subscriptions,staying in lowcost flats,driving Harriers and other large cars.
3. Since most peoples salaries only last till the 15th,they need to compensate for swatting flies over the next 15 days
4. Overgambled,overbetted and overlost during CNY.Due to Overowe what is overdue,hence the need to overcharge
5. Got war in Syria,onions and potatoes from Pakistan,more expensive cos got to be rerouted via another channel,i.e.Himalaya-Tibet-Afghanistan-Paris-China-Hongkong-Taiwan before reaching Malaysia using Russian submarine
6. Anson Wong come out already,not enough animals cos he take everything and put them in his check in baggage
7. Second Link bridge toll rumoured to cost RM$25 .Putting aside for a rainy day mah you sucker.
8. Landed property prices went up due to 10% gain tax.Someone gotta pay for my speculative ventures
9. End of the world coming.Must Fah Chai more so can buy better position in Blissful Memorial Park

One plate of Oh Chien is up by $1

Almost every other hawker dish has gone up by 50 sen

Now,instead of having enough to spend for 15 days,it'll only last us 10 days before we all start buying maggi mee.

Pang Hainan Seafood Restaurant @ Tanjung Bungah (opp Chinese Swimming Club)

Any of the local,middle aged, bespectacled chinese women that serve you here,are......

•  Idiots,hard of hearing,who pretend that they can hear your order perfectly
•  Morons,as such cannot properly jot down and pass the correct message to the kitchen
•  Born stupid,suffering from major neurological problems,that after making a mistake (without fail every single time)never have the balls to admit to it
• Afflicted with some mild but deep rooted form of psychosis,eyeballing you,as they lay the blame on you the customer,when amongst each other,then in the next breath proceed to backstab the kitchen staff when talking to you
• Split personality,mental case,dis-order takers,who switch from smiling aunties to frowning andartus the instant you point out THEIR mistake
• Brainless swines, IQ of twits,who have muck lodged in between their legs,ears,fingers and numbskulls

Expect at least one dish to come out completely wrong or missing some ingredient.
Honestly I don't know how this happens when the fatty at the back watches the kitchen helpers like a hawk.
The foreign workers must either be badly treated or underfed.
Or possess world class sleight of hands skills.

This is a real downright,rotten to the core,incorrigibly unscrupulous,bastard of an operator,whom,if you trawl the net will uncover complaints from other customers such as

• crabs missing major claws
• fresh crabs fished from the live seafood tank and switched with frozen produce
• dishonoring purchases made on discount sites,by blaming the internet marketers for making the 'mistake',insisting on changing what was initially promised in the 'deal',example:replacing large crabs,with small ones instead

Overall Review

1. Steamed foods - bit too much wine
2. Fried foods - too oily
3. Baked foods -done wrong
4. Gulais -expensive
5. Price -gets 'adjusted' higher when you demand that they take back the wrong order and whip out a totally new,correct order.When and if you do that,Miss Lim will instruct the kitchen to recycle it for you and then blame the kitchen in front of you,while frowning at your entire party once she's grouped up with the staff.This lady and every single one of her female assistants are real Tanjung Rambutan cases.
6. Hygiene- the kitchen is open,drive round to the back and you will see the disgusting condition
7. Parking-some of my friends have had their cars dented here before cos of the rather small space and drunkards that like to come here of late

Elephant Sanctuary Donation Scam @ Kuala Gandah

If you take a look at this very cute website,pleading for your help in maintaining the endangered beasts,please be informed that Perhilitan has in its website,dissasociated itself from the person or persons behind it.
The correct site which is
 http://www.wildlife.gov.my/index.php/bm/perkhidmatan-kami/kemudahan-rekreasi/385
has issued the following statement

Jabatan PERHILITAN ingin menjelaskan bahawa maklumat di laman web www.myelephants.org tiada berkaitan dengan Pusat Konservasi Gajah Kebangsaan Kuala Gandah, Lanchang, Pahang.

Laman web serta nombor akaun untuk tujuan derma tersebut telah diwujudkan tanpa pengetahuan Jabatan PERHILITAN.

 Jabatan PERHILITAN adalah bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya ke atas segala pengurusan gajah di Semenanjung Malaysia dan mempunyai sumber bagi menampung perbelanjaan aktiviti konservasi berkaitan serta tidak menerima sebarang kutipan wang daripada orang awam melalui akaun bank pihak ketiga

(We would like to clarify that the site as well as donation drive run by it,was set up without our knowledge.

Our Department has never accepted donations from the public via third party bank accounts)

This is the scam site http://www.myelephants.org/donation.html


Please spread the news unless you love showering some crook or poacher for all we may know with

1. Dumex Dugro 1-3 Milk
2. Anlene Gold 51
3. Nesvita Omega Plus
4. GPS systems
5. Camcorders
6. Glucose
7. Gula Merah
8. Insect repellant
9. Rice
10. $$$$$$$$$$$

Shouldn't they also be asking for fruits,handphones,LED tvs,laptops too?

Tidbit Pushcart @ Cinema Floor,Gurney Plaza

Beware of this particular stall selling drinks and various tidbits.

Doesn't matter who the workers may be,ranging from an eccentric old bird wearing socks to a foreign worker,there is a high possibility that you will be cheated.

Though the amount involved is not much,nevertheless I think it is highly unethical of them to engage in this method on unsuspecting customers.

These are small time cheats who will switch one of your ten cent coins with thai currency.

Or give you back incorrect change most times.

Which means if you are the type who does NOT take note of each individual price leading to the total amount,they will definitely squeeze up to 50 cents out of you.

I'm not being petty,but seeing that I have had to eyeball them every time I patronise them,yet every single episode has not been free of a 'mistake' on their part ,I think you too should be made aware of their cunning ways.

So,if you ever purchase anything from here,do your math properly before leaving.

How To Spot A Hyped Up Write Up

1. The glowing review has no writers name attached for us to put the blame on if the food is Borhochiak
2. Refer to Borhochiak Awards page and weed out the names listed.If it is there,high are the chances.
3. The reviewer boasts about and puffs up the Chef's credentials,so called repertoire and experience
4. Other than that you can't.

Writers in general,are so bent on twisting facts,sugar coating the bad and the bland,filtering out boring facts,prone to reporting half truths or leaving out the most crucial facts,that even the Royal Family in Britain has had enough of them and set up their own facebook account to set the facts right straight from the horses mouth.

I on the other hand am prone to hallucinating,day dreaming and taking a trip to Never Never Land,especially so,when the food that I so anticipate to be at least decently consumable,dissapoints the heck out of me.That's just my way of coping.These writings of mine are just a manic extension of  my teeth grinding encounters.
I mean after all pent up rage isn't constructive.
Have been tempted a few times to march to the kitchen, grab the apron from the chef ,order him out and let me show him how its done.
However,if he's one in need of temper management,like most cooks,at least let me show him what are yardstick measurements of great cooking.

What on earth are Hospitality,Culinary Schools and traditional Sifus churning out ?

Taking a cue from the latest casualty that barely survived 5 months of opening,no amount of fengshui,banners,promos,joint ties ups and cheap offers could bait them customers.
Not even this mouthwatering write up below.
Am featuring it as an example and point of reference for the future.

Basically...what did they leave out?
That spooky feeling when you just do not want to venture inside at all.
Did you see that weird looking golden mermaid statue near the stage area or the strange lighting?Brrrrrrr.......
Also this spot has borne witness to so many fallen businesses that most bloggers wisely kept their distance from this fella with the stubborn exception of this The Star reviewer

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Guaranteed Fresh Seafood

The Star ,29oct 2010
Food reviewer-this writer has sixth sense,he/she decided to remain anonymous

FANCY feasting on a variety of fresh seafood in a comfortable ambience with gorgeous views of the seafront? Then the GQ Seafood @ 104 Gurney Drive fits the bill perfectly.

Recently refurbished and opened in early October, the airy and casual eatery along Penang’s most famous promenade allows di-ners to pick their catch fresh from the many tanks housing a plethora of sea creatures.
These are then cooked in a multitude of styles, predominantly Cantonese, but also encompassing all Chinese cuisines. Though the menu lists around 150 dishes, the variety of cooking styles and sauce pairings means there is much more than that to look forward to.
The restaurant’s opening promotion features one of the most sought after seafood items — crabs — at just RM2 for the first piece, weighing approximately 300 grams. Sub-sequent crabs are then charged according to weight.
Valid for both lunch and dinner, the crustaceans are the stars in executive chef Alex Lee’s signature Sour Sweet Crabs dish. With the sauce made from a blend of lime, milk, sugar, oyster sauce, onions and chilli padi, it has a little of everything, and is bound to appeal to local taste buds.
With over three decades of experience working in various kitchens spanning the breadth of the nation, Lee is a master of his craft with an innate understanding of flavours and tastes.
Doing away with fast food-like offerings which are common nowadays, Lee prefers to go back to traditional cooking methods which require lots of time and tender loving care (TLC), leaving no stone unturned in his quest for flavour-packed dishes.
One such example is the Double Boiled Superior Sharks Fin Soup with Crab Claw and Fish Maw. Its stock is left to simmer for up to eight hours, with ingredients like old chicken, Chinese ham, lean pork, duck ribs and dry scallops imparting their flavours.
It is then strained and ladled over the sharks fin, making for balanced flavours minus the fishy smell.
Another specialty, the Chef’s Signature Organic Fried Bean Curd, uses a rather different ingredient than what most people are used to having. Instead of the normal soya beans, a black variety is used instead, giving it a char-grilled look.
Other items to look out for include the Sliced Abalone with Ginseng and Prawn Roe, as well as Wok-fried Salt and Pepper Mantis Prawns with Chilli Powder and Dried Shrimp.
Though seafood is their specialty, GQ also serves up a variety of poultry, meat and vegetable dishes.
Capable of accommodating in excess of 500 people, the restaurant is ideal for big functions. It also has three VIP rooms with capacity for 10 to 20 persons each. There is also a bar and lounge area where diners can indulge in some concoctions after a satisfying meal.
The restaurant is open daily from noon to 3pm for lunch, and from 6pm to 10pm for dinner. For reservations, call 04-2278090.

Update: 2011,The Year CNY Prices Never Backed Down

I wanna give a shout out to the Crap Hawker Chairman.
Who are you trying to fool?
You never eaten in KL or even Butterworth for that matter before is it?
One bowl in KL is equivalent to 5 bowls on Penang island,3 at Butterworth
and it doesn't even cost as much,you Vampire.

Penangites,if you can, don't let them get away with it.
If we so much as take the first step and cut down on eating out,it will affect them where it hurts most,cos after all if they were to rely on visitors,they couldn't survive.
Many ikan bakar stalls have folded already because we quit patronising them as often,once they hiked their prices too high.
Remember this....WE are their core customers,their bread and butter.
If they want to kill themselves,let's give those cocky bastards a helping hand.

Call the Department of Domestic Trade,Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry(Penang Branch) enforcement hotline at 1800-886-800.
Fill up a form at their website or turn up in person at their office's enforcement division at the office above the GPO.
You may complain against hawkers that fail to show their prices.
Believe me,don't listen to what others tell you that it is a waste of time,this department will give them hell.
Do take note that they might look like they will not take you seriously (cos of the ala relekler attitude) especially if you are prone to dramatic and emotional outbursts.
Keep your cool,provide your details and they will contact you as to the course of action they have taken.Yes,really,they really do that.

Yea,so I guess if any of you thought that I just blatantly shoot my mouth off without being substantiated by any cold hard facts,there it is for you.""Smaller Portions,Shocking Prices"so said The Star newspaper's northern edition today.
People,diners even visitors....DO remember everything from the price to the portion served.

Have received some feedback for my earlier post regarding this issue,that some restaurant owners have gone to the extent of changing their price list so that you the customer will be confused or fooled into thinking that it is the same price as before.Most times the price list is in exactly the same place,as well a close replica of the original so we won't suspect if we aren't regulars.
Look out for unusually clean looking boards.The prices have likely been scaling some mountains to the point of no return.

Anyway,when it comes to cooking indoors,the wetmarket traders are no better either.
In case you don't know where to go,here are a few suggestions as to where you may try,followed by those you should not patronise.
Am compiling a vegetable traders sample only.As for hypermarts,the one with the sun logo used to be good but nowadays it is highly likely that you get veges that look good on the outside but rotten to the core on the inside.Even worse when it comes to the one near e-gate.Haven't bought from Billion before,but it is very popular judging from the size of its crowds.
I don't trawl the Pulau Tikus,Anson Road nor Bayan Lepas markets,as such they are not included here.

DIRT CHEAP VEGES

1. CHEAPEST
Macallum Street Ghaut wholesale market (this is only if you dare cos you need to come here like after 10pm,the prices of veges are unbelievable but you have to buy in a larger quantity,even though it looks like a gangsters den)

2.CHEAPER
Mount Erskine market (this you may come during the day up till 5pm.Chefs from various hotels and restaurants actually pick up their ingredients from the wholesaler that occupies the corner lot that's almost right at the back.Do be informed that the pricing scale here goes like this....the newest arrivals are the most expensive.The more days it spends at her stall,the lower the prices go.Also if you get the younger skinny girl to do the math,it will be higher than the old woman)

3.MODERATE
Tanjong Bungah market (morning only,best to go before 11am.When you enter the market from the front,keep to the left and look out for 3 men or more running a stall)

4.DEPENDING ON HIS MOOD
A very old man inside the chowrasta market near the beef/mutton section.He runs the stall alone and mostly hawks condiments needed for spicy dishes and ulams.This one stays open till 2 or 3pm and he knows how to advice you honestly with regards to price,taste and spiceometer if you are undecided whether to take the expensive local ginger or the china ones.

SKY HIGH VEGES

1.CUT THROAT
Tanjong Bungah market also (the ones in the middle lane of the market that stay open till 1 or 2 pm)

2..BLOOD SUCKER
Seventh Road market (yea,surprise,surprise,even though it is a stones throw away from Macallum St Ght, meats sold here are moderately priced and cooked noodles so dirt cheap,it is even cheaper to buy veges from Gama than here.So AVOID the stalls that have women and kids coaxing you to buy from them.These stalls are located nearer to where the roast pork and duck sellers are)

3.EXPENSIVE
Batu Lancang market (all the stalls that are NOT run by extremely old looking men and very old ladies,are relatively expensive)

4.SLAUGHTER
Chowrasta market (there is a trader that operates at the roadside and stays open till 3 or 4pm in the afternoon.The lady speaks good English and will 'forwarn'you that 'you are not under any pressure to buy'from her)

Here's the article plucked from The Star

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Oh Dear,So Dear! (Edmund Ngo & Ian Mcintyre)

PRICES of Penang’s hawker food and drinks have remained unusually high, and served portions remain small even after the Chinese New Year festive season, according to several customers.
Management consultant Gavin Khoo, 37, said he was shocked to find a bowl of Hokkien mee costs RM4.50 compared with RM4 previously even though it was a small portion at a coffeeshop on Burmah Road.
“It is not just the noodles. Three pieces of chee chong fun (rice noodle rolls) are priced at RM4 and even a cup of Chrysanthemum tea costs RM1.50 at a hawker centre near Macalister Road,” he grumbled.
Khoo, a Penangite who stays in Kuala Lumpur, said he returned to the state often and had noticed the steeper price even after the Chinese New Year.
Engineer Richard Lim, 36, who works in Hong Kong, had the same experience when he patronised a coffeeshop along Penang Road.
“I was there two weeks ago and I was completely shocked to pay RM1.70 for a cup of ice barley, which I know is usually RM1.
“Penang’s reputation as a food haven that offers delicious and affordable food could be marred by the price hike,” he added.
Penang Hawkers Association chairman Lam Tong Ying had on Jan 11 announced that food prices would be 20% to 30% more expensive during the first three days of the Lunar New Year but would decrease after that.
The festive season is long over, but the prices have still not come down. The price hike ranged from 50 sen to RM1 for food items and 10 sen to 50 sen for drinks.
Lam, when contacted, was adamant the high prices were inevitable as raw ingredients and necessities such as cooking gas and petrol remained expensive.
“The prices are still high for example, vegetables such as lady’s finger now costs RM7 per kg compared with RM2 per kg last year,” he said.
He said the high price was not confined to Penang alone as hawkers in Kuala Lumpur had also raised their prices and kept the serving portions small to make a living.
Penang Restaurants and Teashops Association chairman Vinah Yee said her members had not increased their prices but expressed concern over more expensive ingredients.
“If ingredients and necessities such as cooking gas continues to increase, our members would be forced to increase their prices ranging from 20% to 30%,” she said.
Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry (Penang branch) enforcement chief M. Guna Selan said prepared food prices were not controlled by authorities compared with controlled ingredients.
“We can only ensure hawkers display their prices clearly to consumers under the Price Control Act 1946, so they are not easily misled,” he said.
He said hawkers should not take advantage of the situation and resort to profiteering while consumers could call the department’s hotline 1-800-886-800 to complain against hawkers who failed to show their prices.
Penang Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said it was difficult to monitor prices and stressed the need for hawkers to refrain from any increase.
“Consumers can choose not to patronise or boycott such stalls as this is their right,” he said.
He said complaints of exorbitant prices could also be directed to the Consumers Tribunal provided there was a receipt.
Consumers Association of Penang president S. M. Mohamed Idris encouraged consumers to cook their own food whenever possible as this was a cheaper option than eating out.
“Hawkers need to make a living but they should not make excessive profits as consumers’ wages have not increased,” he said.
He said if consumers felt that prices were unreasonable, they could opt to eat at another place.

2011: The Year CNY Prices Never Backed Down

As we all know,every chinese new year,prices go up due to the extra cost of goods.Some stalls absorb the price increase only for their regular customers,the instant outsiders order it's a different story altogether.
This year,everyone expected prices to revert to the original after the festive period.
Wrong.Now even when we service our car,we get slapped with a 6% service tax.Did you know that?
Do check your bill carefully.
Ron 97 is $2.50,Ron 95 is raring to join the Up,up and away stable.
So much for "no GST" when almost every service sector gets arm twisted to contribute to the next political coffer for that ONE freako with rosy cheeks,garupa lips,triple chin and wife with the towering hair.
In Georgetown,our traders have the added stress of having to contend with arson,$500 or "don't step out of your premises"threats by a triad uprising and developer tactics.

Now who are the Penang culprits that have so daringly crossed out their old menus with marker ink and made us pay for their continued existence?
I'll start with a few first and keep you updated when I come across more.
1.Pang Hainan seafood
2.James Foo Western
3. 747

Bah Kut Teh Stall @ Jln Dato Keramat ,Soon Joo/Soo Joon plastic shop(night)

The middle aged lady owner is a cheat.Be sure of how much cash you hand over to her when you ask her for the bill.We gave her a $100 note,and she dared to insist that we gave her a $50 even going so far as acting,to the extent of showing us the cash she had in her counter as 'proof' that she was not bluffing.Perhaps she is quick handed in switching or hiding the note elsewhere because it was nowhere to be seen in her counter.We weren't first time diners and between the two outlets she owned,we have been coming regularly for more than a year before this happened.
She didn't accept our protest and we are not voilent people.If she needs the $100 so badly we hope that she chokes on our burning note one day on her trip down to hell.
This is a MAJOR problem with certain stall owners within the vicinity of Jalan Dato Keramat.I have personally witnessed a poor lady begging the chicken rice seller opposite Ah Leng CKT (the coffeeshop that sells Tai Lok Mee at night)to return her change.Even when she yelled out that he cheated her he would not budge.The drama ended with him threatening her to leave or he would beat her up.Shameless bloody crook this one I tell you!The incident so disgusted me that I never went back there again even though I liked his chicken rice version.
Coming back to the Bah Kut Teh stall,she started off this outlet on the roadside.Her stall is popular because price wise hers is the most reasonable compared to 2 other shops around the corner.Her cunning ways enabled her to take over this shoplot this year(I am not quite sure of the name whether it is Soon Joo or Soo Joon)
She also owns another bah kut teh shop(the premises are in a kampung house facing the main road) in Paya Terubong opposite Kafe Pantai Timur.We used to patronise this Paya Terubong outlet because the price was even cheaper than her Dato Keramat outlet but the bad experience led us to boycott both.

Swensens @ Penang

The food here is good but beware of falling for discounts schemes and memberships that they offer.
It is all a mere gimmick to make you spend like an idiot and look like a fool.
Please take note that the discounts are only limited to Penang island and no where else in Malaysia.

A couple related their woes to me.
Earlier this year,they were attracted to a discount scheme where this outlet would give you lifetime membership(the membership was not for sale) that would take a whopping 30 per cent off your bill if you spent $500 in accumulated receipts within a period of 3 months.
From what I understand many Penangites fell for it.
The outlet was filled to the brim by those eager to take advantage of this unbelievable deal.
By the time the 3 months were over,the deal remained as it was unbelievable for they had the gall to change the entire discount scheme at a drop of a hat.
In its place came another membership scheme that could be bought for under $20 ringgit leaving all those who had attained the lifetime membership unable to claim the 30 per cent discount.
When the couple kicked up a fuss,the very curt and unfriendly managress said it was the new company policy and that she was a merely following her company's orders.
You have been warned!