Genting restaurant that charged S'poreans S$293 for steamed fish cleared of profiteering charge after 3-month investigation

A Genting Highlands restaurant that charged a group of Singaporean tourists RM902 (S$293.25) for a single wild river patin fish has been cleared of profiteering, following an investigation by Pahang's Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Bureau.

The bureau announced its findings after the incident went viral online, nearly three months later.

What happened

In March, a Singaporean tourist known as Jimmy visited Loong Kee Restaurant at Gohtong Jaya. He came with a group of friends, 10 of whom were fellow Singaporean senior citizens.

He told Stomp the group got the "shock of (their) lives" when they saw the bill for a wild river patin, also known as silver catfish, weighing 2.7kg. They had been told it was priced at RM338 per kg, bringing the fish alone to RM902 (S$293.25).

He said:

"Never did we dream that an economical patin fish could be so ridiculously overpriced, so much beyond that of a good soon hock."

The group protested the bill but was unable to dispute it, having not confirmed the price and weight before the fish was served. Their total bill for the meal came to RM1,762 (S$572.88).

In response, the restaurant said its staff had followed standard ordering procedures and explained the pricing and weight to the customer.

A spokesperson said:

"Confusion or concern regarding billing can affect the overall dining experience, and we sincerely regret any distress or inconvenience caused."

According to Sin Chew Daily News, the restaurant has since said it would optimise its seafood ordering process, and will more clearly communicate the fish species, weight, unit price, and total price to customers before placing orders.

No profiteering found

According to Sin Chew Daily News, Pahang State Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee Chairman Shen Chunxiang told reporters at a press conference that the bureau had investigated the restaurant under its "Ops Kesan 5.0" operation after receiving public complaints.

He said:

"The complaints were mainly regarding the restaurant's wild river patin fish prices being too high, causing consumer dissatisfaction. Enforcement officers sent a written notice to the relevant restaurant on April 4, requesting operators to provide relevant documents and materials to assist in the investigation."

After reviewing the restaurant's documents, operational data, and transaction records, the bureau concluded there was no wrongdoing.

He said:

"The investigation results show that there are no profiteering elements in the case, and it is hereby closed."

How profiteering is assessed

The Pahang Domestic Trade Bureau Director clarified at the press conference that profiteering is not determined by price alone. The bureau assesses a merchant's profit margin against an allowable profit rate, calculated using the merchant's historical profit data over several years.

Based on the restaurant's data from 2023 to 2025, the allowable profit rate was set at 56.74 per cent. Loong Kee Restaurant's actual average profit margin from January to March 2026 was 44.08 per cent, which fell below the threshold, per Sin Chew.