PENANG: Three hawkers receive the most affordable price awards from the Penang state government for selling a plate of wonton noodle at RM4, chicken rice at RM3 and roti canai at RM1.20.

Wonton noodle seller Mary, chicken rice stall owner Ong Eng Kim and mamak stall owner Abdul Shukor received the awards from Yeoh Soon Hin, state tourism and creative economy committee chairman at their respective stalls.

Mary, 65, who is selling wonton noodles at Top Lucky Coffee Shop at Farlim 4E flats, started selling the noodles more than 30 years ago at RM2.50 a plate.

The price was later increased to RM3 and she had maintained the selling price for many years until January 1 this year.

Due to increase in the prices of many ingredients, Mary had to revise her price to RM4 a plate.

“Most of my patrons are locals living in this vicinity. I can live with the slim profit,” she said.

Ong, 50, a chicken rice seller at Hong Kong Tea Garden at Jalan Macalister, makes slim profit by selling a plate of chicken rice at only RM3.

He can sell more than 20 chickens a day.

Ong slashed the price to RM3 in October 2021 at a time many were facing financial hardship due to the lockdown measures.

“Although the prices of goods have increased now, I have no plans to revise my selling price,” he said.

The RM3 chicken rice is only meant for Malaysians, and tourists will be charged RM5 a plate.

As for takeaway, Ong charges RM4, but for those bringing their own food containers, the price remains at RM3.

Abdul Shukor, 80, the owner of a mamak stall behind Maybank in Komtar, sells a piece of roti canai at only RM1.20.

The retired soldier sells a plate of fried rice with egg for RM3, the same for a plate of fried meehoon or fried koay teow, including extra egg or anchovies.

Most of his patrons are government servants who he said might stop patronizing his stall if he increases the price by 20 sen.

The three hawkers are recipients of the most affordable price awards for the second round to recognize hawkers who are selling food below RM5.

Yeoh said the state government would continue to present the awards to hawkers in future.