Recently, a Sibu resident ordered two Roti Canai portions—one with an egg and the other with an egg and an onion. He was shocked that the order cost RM8.40 (8 Malaysian Ringgit and 40 cents). He was taken aback by this amount and inquired, “Is this the regular price now? Have I been too long away from coffee shops?
He acknowledged that the cost was higher than anticipated, and the payment caused him some discomfort. He was fortunate that the food’s flavor and texture didn’t let him down. He said, “Otherwise, I would have been even angrier.”
He said that during the first half of this year, he had only gone out to eat 15 times. When placing his order, he hadn’t given the prices much thought. He and the vendor didn’t even look at each other until the price was revealed at the register. After checking the total, he turned to look at the meal one more before paying the vendor. “Is the rate of price increase too fast?” he inquired.
He continued, “Our starting salary cannot keep up with the escalating prices for us salaried people, the working class. What can we do to help our families?
Before savouring the Roti Canai, he said that he had just returned from Kuching. With his family, he had been there for a few days and hadn’t had the same “heartache.”
“In the past, people used to say that dining and consumption in Sibu were the most affordable,” he sighed. But is that still true today?
There may still be affordable food options, but they are becoming fewer in number. He can only work hard to find new sources of income in order to keep up with the cost of living’s continual rise.
