YOURSAY | 'Wrong to compare Maggi price without adding incidental costs to make a bowl.'

State rep stands by 'cook cheaper than eating out' despite backlash

Hafidz Baharom: There is really no argument about whether it's cheaper or not (to cook at home than eat out).

Of course, it's cheaper in terms of financial cost. But can people afford the time?

This whole part seems to be missing in terms of the thinking of the minister and this particular elected representative.

Look, let's consider the situation in the Klang Valley - you've got parents waking up at 5am and out of the house by 7am to avoid getting stuck in traffic heading into Kuala Lumpur.

If luck is on your side, that's a 30-45 minute drive to the office. Batch cooking your weekday lunch on Sundays is an option - but for food safety, that'll only get you to Thursday.

Plus, the middle-class problem - really, you're okay with having the same thing over and over again for four days straight?

Same ‘lauk’ (side dishes) with rice? Same sauce with the pasta?

Moving on to dinner. You leave the office at 6pm or later to avoid traffic - this applies both to the trains and roads, by the way - and reach home at 7.30pm to 8pm.

And you expect them to cook... what? Maggi? After all that nonsense on MSG causing hair to fall out and stunted growth in kids we all had to listen to in the 80s and 90s?

If you're saying they should consider cooking simple meals, fine. When was the last time you showed a cooking show for simple meals on television?

The government didn't consider that part. Japan introduced shows like ‘Midnight Diner’, and the BBC introduced a slough of chefs with easy recipes from Mary Berry, Nadia Hussain and even Jamie Oliver.

We're relying on whom – Khairul Aming, Dapoq Pdot, Uncle Roger and Che Nom?

Common sense is uncommon and economic sense has never been human.

There's an entire book on economic misbehaving by Richard Thaler. I suggest the minister reads it.

Plus, god forbid, they buy the ingredients and get too tired at the end of the day to cook and everything ends up in a landfill.

BlueHorse9150: No matter where you are eating out, it will always be more expensive than cooking at home. This includes bringing food from home to work or school.

I do agree the biggest factor preventing one from cooking their meals is time.

With two working adults and a standard family of four, cooking three meals for four people when half the time no one is at home or available to do grocery shopping, cooking can be very tiring and may not be sustainable for a long period.

This has become a very complex issue that not only looks into food prices but also salary, employment, logistics and other socioeconomic factors.

Reducing food prices is still a must for the government as eating out mostly stems from convenience rather than luxury, especially when people are on the go.

Grocery food stamps can be an option for the B40 class.

Providing coupons rather than cash to purchase essential items including groceries thus encourages more people to cook their meals while reducing the burden on the government.

OCT: It is wrong to compare a packet of Maggi without adding the incidental costs that make up the bowl of Maggi.

Making Maggi doesn't include the hidden cost of gas, water, vegetables, and the time cost of preparation, cooking, and cleaning up.

Eating Maggi is convenient as order, eat and vamoose. Just relax, and enjoy. No sweat.

Of course, the eatery has to add extra costs for labour, rental, taxes, utilities and profit, or else it is not a business at all.

Restaurants and mamak shops are not charity outlets. For a single person, the convenience of eating out outweighs the hassle of preparing it themselves.

Simple logic like this also cannot be understood.

ScarletViper9930: Not everyone has the luxury of cooking at home because of time constraints and work commitments.

Cooking is very time-consuming and a lot of time is used in cleaning up. We would if we could.

This is especially true for those where both spouses are working. Who has the energy to come back and cook after a hard day's work in the office, another half hour or worse of fighting through traffic?

The government should look into ways to lighten the burden of households with mouths to feed. Only then do you have the right to tell the 'rakyat' to cook at home!

Jaded: Please don't take things literally.

Nobody is asking you to eat instant noodles and drink sugary drinks here. It's just to show you that it is cheaper to cook at home than to eat out.

Any meals that are cooked at home will always be cheaper. it was true then, and it will be true in years to come.

It does take time to prepare and cook, but this can be done with planning. If you choose to order in or eat out, then be prepared to pay exorbitant prices.

Appum: Folk, the fact of the matter is not whether eating out or eating at home is cheaper and saves more. This is a known fact all over the world.

The point is, why are our Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and Rawang assemblyperson Chua Wei Kiat talking to the masses about something so obvious?

We expect them to be more "brainy" and innovative with their ability to stay up there with huge salaries, power, perks and responsibilities.

People expect them to be able to propose more innovative solutions to people's problems with all the data, information and an entourage of (over) staff below them in the ministries.

We thought the new Madani government had more capacity to bring forward new solutions and methods to solve our nation's ills and weaknesses.

Let me say it again, we have structural issues and problems with our human resources and capabilities in our institutions.

If we don't solve this problem, this nation will not progress.

Richard Lee: The price of food and drinks has generally gone up after the pandemic.

Since the rakyat was willing to pay higher prices for delivered food during the pandemic, business owners continued to maintain such high prices as they realised there were willing buyers.

Hence, the issue we are facing now.

LimePanther5220: When are Rafizi and his cohorts going to focus on household goods? Prices of these items have been inexorably increasing.

Not only so, but manufacturers have taken to playing illusions and ‘mind games’ with consumers.

My can of biscuit now comes only about half full, whereas it was filled almost to the brim previously.

My toilet roll now comes with a much larger cardboard core at the centre than previously.

My refill pack of shampoo now comes in varying sizes of 750ml and 850ml instead of a fixed size.

Woe betide me if I pick up a pack and forget to check the size.

I notice that even our early morning chocolate or malt drink powder contains reduced amounts of vitamins and minerals compared to previous packings.

Does the government allow manufacturers to sneakily reduce content??

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