The Star - 14 September 2006�

KUALA LUMPUR: A day after fine sugar was made a controlled item, many users said their problems have not been solved.�

The Indian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association said sugar was still being sold at black market prices.�

�We are at the mercy of the suppliers (wholesalers and distributors) as they control the market,� its president Syed Jamarul Khan said.

On Tuesday, the Government declared fine sugar a controlled item, with retail prices fixed at RM1.55 a kg for Peninsular Malaysia and RM1.65 a kg for Sabah and Sarawak effective from yesterday. Previously, only coarse sugar, priced at RM1.45 a kg, was a controlled item.�

Syed Jamarul claimed that consumers had had to pay more for sugar because suppliers had created the shortage.�

Food outlets surveyed yesterday also complained that they were still having difficulty getting coarse sugar.�

Commons Cafe manager Susan Beh, whose outlet is in Phileo Damansara, said she had had to make do with fine sugar, bought from hypermarkets previously at RM1.90 a kg.�

�I have not been able to buy coarse sugar for the past four months,� she said.�

Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association president Datuk R. Ramalingam said members would be forced to hike the price of teh tarik and coffee if hoarding continued.�

�As at today, a 50kg bag of coarse sugar is still being sold at RM85 or RM90 when it should be RM70. The distributors are issuing receipts at the lower price while over-charging by up to RM20,� he said.�

Meanwhile, Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S. Veerasingam said wholesalers and distributors caught hoarding sugar would have their licences revoked on the spot.�

He said the ministry�s enforcement officers would also immediately cancel the licences of those found charging above the prices fixed.�

�We have directed the four sugar manufacturers to raise their production capacity by 15% to ensure that there is no shortage during the coming festive season,� Veerasingam said yesterday.�

Enforcement officials, he added, had been stationed at the four factories to make sure that there would be no shortfall in production.�

�We will also publicise a list of the sugar wholesalers and distributors so that traders will not be fleeced,� he said. �