MELAKA: A restaurant owner who imposed an additional 10 sen charge for every QR code transaction at his premises was raided by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry today.
This follows public complaints regarding the trader's actions, who allegedly charged a one per cent fee to users paying through QR codes.
Melaka Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director Norena Jaafar said an investigation with the cashless payment service provider revealed that the extra charge was never part of its policy.
"After verification, the service provider confirmed that no such fees are imposed on online transactions as claimed by the trader.
"Therefore, the trader's actions, which have been happening since the beginning of this year, constitute as an offence. The state Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has initiated an investigation into the matter.
"I want to emphasise that this price 'increase' is not something that happened after the diesel (subsidy rationalisation). It (the offence) was done since the beginning of this year and the action was opportunistic," Norena said after leading the operation today.
Investigations are underway for profiteering offences under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, while the restaurant owner has been fined RM200 for not displaying price tags.
Meanwhile, the woman trader in her 60s claimed that the bank had determined the charge.
"If you want to pay using a QR code scan, you have to add 10 sen for every RM10 of food price. If it's RM30, you have to pay 30 sen because the bank requires it, not because I want to charge extra," she said.
She claimed that the 10 sen charge for every RM10 paid via the QR code payment has been imposed on customers since she adopted the cashless payment system earlier this year.
Several customers were surprised when they were charged the fee.
A customer who only wanted to be known as Talib was surprised saying he had to pay RM14.20 for breakfast even though the food price was RM14.
"I was surprised because I have never been charged extra like this at other eateries.
"Moreover, there was no prior notice posted and I only learned about the charge when making payment. I feel it's unfair," he said.
