Restaurant operator in siakap dish saga questions customer's intentions

 

Restoran Terapung Sas Rimba operator, Norasyikin Musa (far right) explaining the size of a siakap fish which weighs almost the same to the one ordered by a customer on Wednesday that was charged at RM1,196.80. -NSTP/HAMZAH OSMAN

LANGKAWI: The owner of a floating restaurant accused of overcharging on a siakap fish dish, here, claimed that the customer had tarnished her business reputation by posting the itemised bill of the food on social media.

Sas Rimba Floating Restaurant owner Norasyikin Musa also questioned the customer's real motive behind the post, despite the customer having already agreed to pay for the 11-year-old barramundi fish that weighed more than 7kg, even after being informed of the price.

"I really did not expect someone (who appeared to have) a pious character would do such a thing, after he personally picked the fish from its enclosure for the dish.

Restoran Terapung Sas Rimba operator, Norasyikin Musa showing the menu at her eatery which explains the price of fish are calculated based on per gramme, complete with the price list. - NSTP/HAMZAH OSMAN

"I specifically explained to the customer that the 7.48kg fish was actually not for sale as it was meant to be displayed to the customers.

"I also repeated many times to him that the fish (that he picked) was huge. I even explained it to him with a hand gesture about its size," she said when met at her restaurant in Kilim Geoforest Park here today.

Norasyikin also denied claims that the restaurant had insisted the customer pick the oversized fish to obtain a high profit because the business was badly affected due to Covid-19.

"We have been in business for eight years and my staff and I had never insisted that our customers pick oversized fish for their dish.

"In fact, when processing orders, we will brief the customers that price of the fish is calculated per gramme and the price of each menu is clearly stated," she said.

Restoran Terapung Sas Rimba operator, Norasyikin Musa showing the copy of receipts which has gone viral on social media. -NSTP/HAMZAH OSMAN

Norasyikin also claimed, after finishing their meals, none of the nine diners confronted her to seek an explanation on the price.

"Even when they were leaving the restaurant, none of them argued over the price for the siakap."

Meanwhile, four Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Ministry enforcement officers visited the restaurant today to carry out an investigation.

Its Langkawi's office chief Abdul Rafar Wahid said the ministry had obtained information from both the customer and the business operator.

It was reported on Thursday that group of diners at a floating restaurant in Langkawi were shocked when they were charged RM1,196.80 for the siakap on Wednesday.

The incident went viral on social media when one of the customers uploaded a copy of the itemised bill and claimed that the price for the siakap dish was exorbitant. - NST