SHAH ALAM, 9 Jan: Canteen operators are forced to increase the price of food if they continue to be burdened with various increases in price of food in the market that adversely affect their operational costs.

The Malaysian School Canteen Operators Association Secretary, Hamzah Omar, said that however, it is happening at a minimal rate and does not affect anyone, especially parents.

“As an organisation that is responsible to canteen operators, we are always monitoring and ensuring that every canteen operator abides by their contract by maintaining prices without making changes arbitrarily.

“However, when the price in the market soars, a slight increase in price of food has to be done by canteen operators. Even that is at a minimum rate to accommodate their operational cost and not to profit many times over,” he explained when contacted by Selangor Kini.

Elaborating, Hamzah said that the process of quotation and granting of tender from schools to canteen operators was enough to prove that the best operators were appointed in ensuring all parties, especially parents, are not affected.

“Every time a school issues a new quotation and tender, at least a few dozens of operators will apply. So they need to compete and only the operator that gives the best quotation will be selected by schools and the District Education Offices (DEO),”

“This means that the minimal increase in price is an agreement between schools and DEOs. The minimal increase in price, in my opinion, is fair following the various increases in price of goods, which are currently soaring,” he explained.

Responding to the complaints from parents about the increase of food prices in canteens this year, Hamzah said that canteen operators are also affected and they do not arbitrarily want to take advantage to reap in profit.

“We understand the burden shouldered by all parents. However, parents should also think of the burden shouldered by canteen operators.

“They too are parents who need a source of income,” he said.

Previously, the Executive Councillor in charge of Education, Higher Learning and Human Capital Development, Dr Halimah Ali, said that the Federal Government should control the price of food in canteens to avoid parents having to shoulder the increased cost of living in this country.

She said that the Federal Government should think of measures to assist parents, to ensure that their children’s education is not affected.