Previously, a local TV host voiced her dissatisfaction with having to purchase a bottle of mineral water for RM7.80 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2. Her experience sparked a debate among netizens regarding the cost of goods and rental prices at airports.
While it’s not entirely surprising that things are expensive at KLIA, netizens were taken aback when the woman claimed she had to pay RM7 for a glass of warm water at a restaurant. Here is her story:
Earlier this week, a netizen known as @/pinatzamree on Threads shared her recent dining experience at Tarbush, Starhill, Bukit Bintang. The customer described the experience as “daylight robbery” after discovering that the glass of warm water she ordered cost RM7.
“My mistake was not asking or checking the price before ordering. [The staff] did mention a ‘charge’ when I asked for warm water. I just thought, ‘How much could warm water cost?’ And there you have it, RM7!” she wrote in her caption. Not only did she have to pay RM7 for the water, but there was also an additional charge if she had requested more chilli in her food.
According to the attached photo of the receipt, the woman paid RM135.70 for her meal. After the thread post went viral, many were equally astounded. Some commented that the price was to be expected for food in the Bukit Bintang area, particularly if the restaurant is located in a luxury mall.
Others argued that RM7 for a glass of warm water is excessively expensive, with some even pointing out that Korean restaurants often provide the drink free of charge. Naturally, netizens suggested that @/pinatzamree should file a report with the Ministry of Domestic Trade (KPDN) regarding Tarbush’s unreasonable prices as this would fall under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
At the time of writing, there is currently no update from the user about the case. However, she shouldn’t be too concerned as there have been several cases where restaurants apologised for overcharging their customers after KPDN’s intervention. What do you think? Is RM7 too expensive for warm water or is it reasonable for a restaurant at Starhill?
