RM150 for a bowl of siakap fish head soup?

Restaurant owner faces a fine of RM100,000 to RM200,000 if found guilty under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

PETALING JAYA: The government has started investigations on a popular restaurant in Kota Bharu, that has been selling fish head soup for between RM130 and RM150 per bowl, way beyond the normal price.

Two investigation papers under Section 57 and Section 21 (5) of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 have been opened against the restaurant owner for failing to reply to a notice from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry that was sent to him on April 22.

If found guilty, the owner is likely to face a fine of between RM100,000 to RM200,000.

State Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism director Abd Ghani Harun said investigation findings would be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor to decide on whether the owner, whose restaurant was in Jalan Pantai Cahaya Bulan, could be charged or not.

Abd Ghani went to the restaurant with 12 officers after receiving two reports from the public about the high price set by the restaurant, the Berita Harian reported.

He said the team found that fish like senangin and siakap were sold for between RM130 and RM150.

When asked why he did not respond to the ministry’s notice, Abd Ghani said the owner gave the excuse that he did not know how to. He also said he did not have the time to attend to it.

And Ghani said he and his team wanted to know why the fish was priced so high while other types of food were sold at normal prices.