MELAKA: Hotel operators in the state have been reminded not to promote Ramadan buffets if they do not have halal certification.
Melaka Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry director Norena Jaafar said hotel and premise operators with no Malaysian Halal Certification must not confuse the public, especially Muslim consumers with advertisements.
"If there is no halal certificate, do not promote or advertise halal Ramadan buffet.
"Do not deceive the consumers or risk of getting a compound," she said when contacted.
Norena said the technical aspect of the advertisement was among three things that were being focused on by the ministry, apart from the increase in food prices at the Ramadan bazaar and buffet at hotels and premises.
"Starting tomorrow, a total of 96 enforcement officers will be mobilised to Ramadan bazaars, morning markets, as well as hotels and premises that offer Ramadan buffets.
"We believe that after two years of not being able to operate at Ramadan bazaar, some of the traders or hotel operators will take the opportunity to increase food prices to the point of burdening consumers.
"For example, we want to see if the price of drinks, previously at RM3, will be increased to RM5."
As for monitoring of Ramadan buffet at hotels and premises, Norena said the ministry would identify if there was an element of excessive manipulation of prices.
"There are hotels offering discounts for early birds purchase, so we will monitor if the price difference was too high, which can go up to RM200 per customer, as what happened in Kuala Lumpur before.
"To the hotel and premise operators, be reasonable if you want to increase the price of the Ramadan buffet.
"Do not burden the consumers, let alone in this current situation, when the economy is still recovering," she said.
Norena added that another concern was the increase in food prices, especially on weekends compared to normal days with hotel operators targeting foreign tourists.
"I have been made to understand that most hotels in Melaka have been fully booked starting yesterday to Monday, following the reopening of the country's borders, which saw tourists coming into Malaysia from Thailand and Singapore."
It has been reported that more than 2,200 enforcement officers and about 1,000 of the ministry's price monitoring officers were assigned to monitor Ramadan bazaars nationwide following the expected increase in food prices.