Why Sarawak will not see RM1 loaf of bread?

In my recent trip to KL, I have noticed that generally things have gone more expensive than my earnings have.

I am significantly spending more money for basic necessities than I was 10 years ago, maybe close to 100% more give and take a few items. And yet my salary has not gone up as much.

However, the great thing about KL is the Hypermarkets. I remember when the 1st hypermarket came, Makro, it was killed off.

But the tidal waves of hypermarkets did come. The Carrefour's, the Giant's, the Tesco's ... hopefully we will get the Wallmart's etc as well one day.

You see, the competition amongst this 3 hypermarkets have actually kept prices of things relatively competitive except for where the government is controlling the prices.

In Tesco, you can get a plain white loaf of bread for RM1. It is even quite a nice bread compared to the Gardenia's etc.

The thing is, these hypermarkets will never come to Sarawak. Because here, everything is still controlled.

If they did come here, for sure, the GK's, the Boulevard's etc. will be forced to compete or in all honesty, likely close down.

In GK, a cheese that I bought in Brunei Supasave at RM9 after conversion costs RM18. That is double the price.

A loaf of bread in Sarawak increased by 20 cents the same day the government increased sugar prices. I guess, here they use 1 kg of sugar for each loaf of bread.

In Sarawak, Air Asia can only offer 1 flight a day from Miri to Kuching. They were offering more flights earlier but were told to cut down as well as increase their minimum price because the bus companies were going out of business.

So, I can actually fly from KL to Singapore or even KL to Kuching to Kota Kinabalu for a cheaper rate than I can fly from Miri to Kuching.

There is so much of price control here, unofficial price controls. Even chicken and meat prices are significantly higher. I know friends who actually buy imported or expensive fish and meat from Brunei because despite the conversion it is cheaper, just like the cheese.

So, quite unfortunate, everything is controlled. As such, we will never see RM1 loaf of white bread in Sarawak.

Take care and be well.