GEORGE TOWN: Even with a six-month rent exemption, canteen operators in government schools are still in a bit of a fix due to the increasing cost of living.

       One of them, who wanted to be known only as Pak Din, says while the exemption from January to June is great news, there are other underlying costs that have been eating up their income.

       “We have to pay more for chicken, vegetables and oil as we are buying them in smaller quantities compared to buying them in bulk.

       “Packaging is also expensive but we cannot raise the food price as it is controlled,” he said.

       Pak Din expects business to go down by 70% because most students would now bring food from home.

       He still has to pay the salary of 16 staff members, as well as water and electricity bills.

       “Students bring food from home nowadays.

       “That is understandable as coming down for take-away packaged food would expose them to unnecessary risk.

       “Hopefully, school canteens would be allowed to have dine-in as it would not only help the operators, but also train the children to observe standard operating procedures and physical distancing,” he added.

       Association of School Canteen Operators secretary Siti Normah Md Desa said while the rent exemption would help operators, there were other issues that needed to be looked into.

       “The price of chicken and other ingredients has gone up.

       “The subsidised oil that we have been buying is out of stock, so we have to buy them at normal prices.

       “Canteen operators cannot simply raise the price of their food; parents would reject our requests whenever we appeal to the schools for a slight price hike.

       “We have tried to raise these issues with the Education Ministry and government,” she said.