Malaysians should be thankful that the retail price of sugar in the country is lower than in Thailand, despite the 11 sen a kilo hike earlier this month, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin said.

"Malaysians should say ‘thank you’ to me, instead of blaming me (for the sugar price hike).

"We import more than 50 percent of the sugar from Thailand... when we do comparisons, the retail price in Thailand is RM3.20 a kilo," Hamzah told reporters when met in the Parliament lobby today.