What business do you have controlling mine?

A RM22k fine for increasing the price of a glass of Milo to RM1.80.

Is there anyone out there(besides the Ministry of Trade and Consumer Affairs) who actually thinks this is right? I for one think its ridiculous to the point of absurdity.

Its not the exorbitant amount that got me thinking, but the fact that there was a fine at all. Let me try to understand the rationale here. The civil servants got a raise. So all the traders out there thought to themselves "Alrite!Those civil servants are going to have more money to spend now. So I better increase the cost of my food/services/apparel and make more money!" So a glass of Milo went from RM1-1.20 to RM1.80.
This was when the Ministry people descended unto the Nasi Kandar Pelita shop and fined them RM22k for increasing their prices arbitrarily. And therefore it was against the Government policy of...uhm...what was the policy again? Was it even a policy? Wasn't it just a mere "call" or heed to traders and businessmen out there not to take advantage of the civil service pay increase to make a buck or two for themselves?

But then again, why should they not be allowed to increase the cost of the food they provide? Or the clothes they produced? Or whatever they have painstakingly made with their own hands? Isnt it their right to price their goods at whatever price they like? If you dont want to drink my Milo Ais and pay RM1.80, go to another shop that serves it to you for cheaper.

If I go to Uptown Food Court, I can get chee cheong fun for RM4 to Rm5 (depending on how greedy I am with the fishballs) but if I go to KLCC's food court, I cant expect to get anything below the price ofRM4 or 5. (maybe drinks and some plain cendol) So, why are the traders in KLCC allowed to put such super high prices on their food but the owners of Nasi Kandar Pelita not allowed to? Its THEIR shop and THEIR food. If you think its too expensive, dont go. If you want cheap food, eat at Jalan Alor, if you want a hint of "high class-ness" go to KLCC/1 Utama food court or even Madame Kwans (is the same food isnt it? What is in Madame Kwan's char kway teu that is not in Jalan Alor's ah pak's char kway teu?)

I get it if you want to place a ceiling price on raw produce or meat and oil and sugar and things like that because those do not involve services such as cooking the food, or preparing the drinks or serving the food. Its just raw produced placed on display, for you to pick and choose and then buy it. But when it comes to restaurants, it will always remain a choice. Its a choice of whether we want to pay the cost of the service provided to say, cook our Maggi goreng, or make a roti canai or prepare a creme brulee or tiramisu. Its a choice. If you think its too expesive, dont go. Simple as that.

Why do you have to control how much money a person makes in their business? Obviously Madam Kwan or Little Penang will make more money than Bintang Sue in Uptown when it comes to cooking the same food and preparing the same dishes because one charges Rm4 and the other RM15 for the same thing. Why is one allowed to increase their price and the other is in the danger of being fined for wanting to make just a little extra from the good fortune bestowed upon the civil servants?

Why dont theGovernment concentrate more on the money their corrupt officers are making from the defective Court House in KL, or the stupid Sports Centre in UK or ugly Proton Cars with bad workmanship, or defective Highways or how being a Minister always mean you have a big house, a big car and a great bank account.

Control that. And then we'll talk about controlling a person's legitimate livelihood.