YOURSAY ‘First you told people to eat at home. Then you raised the cooking oil price.’

Minister: Mineral water pricier than unsubsidised cooking oil

Roguekiller: Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, any doctor would advise you to consume six pints or six glasses of water per day. Does the doctor advise you on how much intake of fat/oil per day? If no, why are you making this comparison?

You are bankrupt of ideas in trying to reason out the withdrawal of subsidy with this irrational analogy of two different liquids.

Focus your attention with logic on why the subsidy on this essential commodity should be withdrawn. It is to refill the void of the Treasury which money had allegedly been stolen; that's the main reason, and you know it.

There were others, including Chef Wan, who said that the withdrawal of the subsidy would encourage people to use less oil and thus, become healthier. Hamzah, do people drink cooking oil?

Anonymous #13114320: First you told people to eat and cook at home to cut costs. Then you raised the cooking oil price, which means people have to spend more. So, in the end where are the savings?

By the way, how are we to fry a fish or ayam goreng with an average of 50g a day of oil? Are you suggesting people should be recycling the same 1.5kg oil in the month, never mind if it is potentially cancerous to do so?

Odin Tajué: Hamzah, as you BN leaders, and Umno leaders especially, seem to have the propensity for telling half-truths at best, and outright lies at worst, and are much partial to playing with words as well, I have a simple question for you.

You said that Putrajaya still subsidised 1kg of cooking oil sold in polybags at RM2.50 per bag. Assuming that you have not been misquoted, then what you were saying was that Putrajaya subsidised only the cost of cooking oil sold in polybags and provided each polybag does not contain more than 1kg of cooking oil. Right? That was what you said. Therefore, the subsidy is nothing for you to crow about.

And I do not think that many people buy mineral water daily to drink. Perhaps the families of those in the right positions such as yours do. Therefore, you were making an inappropriate comparison.

Gaji Buta: Remove all subsidies. Let everyone wake up to the real buying power they possess after almost 60 years of Umno rule.

Ric De Bigg: This minister does not know that the Bottom 40 percent (B40) group does not buy and drink mineral water because they cannot afford it.

Odysseus: In this country, bottled drinking water is not only more expensive than cooking oil, it's more expensive than petrol, especially in restaurants.

I am sure he isn't aware of this because he either never drinks water nor pay bills in restaurant.

Anonymous_1371464888: Brilliant ministers we have. Make us the laughing stock of the world. It’s so embarrassing.

Mineral water is optional. Cooking oil is not. We don’t have a tap at home where cooking oil flows out.

Shopping mall: Sarawak Laksa stunt a 'mistake'

Shibboleth: "Record-breaking" or "Malaysia Boleh" seems to be a Malaysian thing for people who have nothing better to do. What's so great about grilling the longest satay, kneading the biggest roti canai or cooking up the biggest bowl of Sarawak laksa?

We should be trying to win an Olympic gold or getting nominated for a Nobel prize - the only time was in 1933 when Dr Wu Lien Tien was nominated for the medicine prize.

For those who have not read about him, please google.

MA: Plaza Merdeka general manager Cheah Kheng Mun’s apology should be accepted but please remember, as a supermarket you can do so many things to uplift the plight of the marginalised people around you during these trying times.

Your deeds will be well appreciated. There is no need for the Malaysian Book of Records.

Kangkung: If they are going to "improve on their mistake", does it mean they will have another go at making a giant bowl of something and in the end throwing all of it away?

May I suggest the mall does something less “glamorous” like collecting a record-breaking amount of food stuff, books, stationeries, etc, for the poor children in the interior of Sarawak?

JD Lovrenciear: In the very first place, do you need to enter this so-called book of records? Your motive must be the anchor of all actions.

So, trying to cling to the philosophy of “doing the right thing” against “doing things right” is meaningless.

Senior Citizen: Yes, what is it to be proud of when a big pot of laksa is prepared but cannot be eaten? Even primary school pupils can do that.

Anonymous 2423541466813406: Breaking the Malaysian Book of Records by producing a big bowl of bad food and can’t-be-eaten Sarawak laksa. Now, that is for the records.

I wonder why it is not in a category where you can create some biggest dish or food where it is only for show but not to be eaten? As for me, a dish that cannot be eaten is not called a dish.

Southpaw: I’m wondering how they disposed of the giant bowl of Sarawak laksa? Down the drain? That would be another bad publicity.

Boonpou: Sarawak laksa is my favourite among all the laksa in Malaysia. It is about the subtleties of its taste, being able to appreciate the number of ingredients involved in the making of a good Sarawak laksa.

It's about quality and most definitely not about quantity, or being in the stupid Book of Records. It is about having a taste for good food as opposed to having a taste for stupidity.

The organisers of this event, simply put, have no gastronomical sense.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.