Ahead of Chinese New Year and Thaipusam, shoppers are starting to feel stressed as the prices of essential goods have jumped 400%, higher than before.
The Penang Hindu Association (PHA) recently conducted a survey after receiving complaints from the public.
They found that many basic food items, especially those needed for festive celebrations, have experienced drastic price increases.
For example, tomatoes, which cost RM1.60 per kilogram last October, are now priced at RM8.00 per kilogram, garlic from China has jumped from RM5 per kilogram to RM14.50, while cardamom from India has jumped from RM92.10 to RM220 per kilogram.
Other items such as black sesame, coconut milk and raw coffee have also seen prices increase between 50% and 100%.
Even coconut palms, which are used for Thaipusam ceremonies, have increased from RM1.60 to RM2.60 each.
PHA believes that some traders may be taking advantage of the festive season to increase profits.
They urged authorities to closely monitor prices to ensure fair pricing, especially for low-income families.
