Shoppers ring up the cash registers as Aidilfitri nears
By Jeani Goh

Woman selling cakes and pastries.

With the Aidilfitri festive season approaching in two week's time, Bruneians are enjoying the splendour of shopping in malls and department stores.

Crowds of people throng these places for their Hari Raya goodies. Traffic congestion is common around certain shopping areas.

Women with high purchasing power try to look their best in well-designed and elegant traditional baju kurong and kebaya, matched with pairs of shoes and handbags.

Bruneian families are busy ordering cakes and pastries to serve friends and relatives visiting their houses during the festival.

Colourful eye-catching flowers are irresistible and appealing when decorating the houses. From clothing to household furniture, businesses are extending their shopping hours to meet the demands of clients, generating more sales and earning extra income.

Bruneians buy their favourite traditional 'kuih muih', 'chendol' and other local food at the footstalls for breaking the fast or 'sungkai'.

Informal businesses, full time or part time, are undeniably earning a great deal of money particularly during the fasting month of Ramadhan and for the coming Aidilfitri season.

To earn great bucks on cash basis to pay for the expenses during the festive season, many families are setting up temporary food stalls or 'gerai'. A seller at the food stall said, "my business is very encouraging during the fasting month because we provide lots and different choices of local 'kuih muih' for the customers. Our regular customers have already made their orders from us."

A chendol seller said, "Bruneians cannot resist our chendol from Temburong and it is selling like hot cakes. I have to ask the customers to come back early tomorrow to be able to purchase it, while some have made reservations to get it."

Women making cakes and pastries at home are also receiving tremendous orders and some are expecting more orders during the week. Some customers are also purchasing them to give away to friends and relatives.

Believe it or not, some of homemakers earn as high as $10,000 or more during the festive season.

Staffs and owners of tailoring and dressmaking are also working up to the wee hours to meet the deadlines. Some are pleading to meet their needs for least the first three days of Hari Raya. Many dressmakers are no longer accepting orders, except from regular customers. No more orders are accepted for customary baju with embroidery due to its complicated stitching and long working hours.

A dressmaker at home, Lin, said "I feel sorry to turn down some of my customers as I was unable to cope with the great demand especially for those with embroidery as it takes more time and effort. This is the time of the month we can receive the highest profits. So we will try to accept orders depending our ability to complete and meet datelines."

 
Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin