MELAKA, May 11 (Bernama) – Poultry dealers at Pasar Besar Melaka say they are willing to scrap the service fees for cutting up chicken if the price ceiling is fairer.

A survey conducted on almost 15 dealers showed that they deemed it a win-win strategy to protect them from suffering further losses.

Wet market trader, Ghazali Abu Bakar, 48, said the chicken sectioning charge of 60 sen has been imposed on customers since the start of Ramadan.

“The price cap of RM8.90 per kg of chicken set by the government does not cover our operating costs.

“Meanwhile, our customers, too, are asking why they are being charged the 60 sen for the sectioning of chickens,” he told reporters.

Hamzah Osman, 53, said the actual price of a chicken is RM8.50 - RM9.50 per kg, minus the service charge.

“If poultry dealers impose this charge, certainly butchers and fishmongers will want to do the same.

“Therefore it would be better to raise the price to RM9.50 per kg so that the fee for cutting up chicken can be cancelled,” he said.

Customer, Norhayati Ismail, 40, said she doesn’t mind paying the charge as long as it’s reasonable.

“Yes, everyone wants to make a profit, but it shouldn’t burden the consumer. It’s an extra service after all. Whether the price of chicken is increased or there's a service charge, it’s still the same.

Yesterday, there were media reports about the chicken sectioning charge of 60 sen and unhappy customers.

However, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Melaka director, Norena Jaafar, said that the fee was for an optional service and that it wasn’t against the rules as long as dealers adhered to the price cap for chicken.

-- BERNAMA