The decision to allow Ramadan bazaars to operate this year for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020 has been well received by the public eager to pick up their ‘buka puasa’ favourites.

Kuchingites interviewed by The Borneo Post say in addition to being able to buy Ramadan goodies at the bazaars, they feel they are at the same time helping local entrepreneurs who have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Nur Syarfeeza Bisnu, 43, said allowing Ramadan bazaars to operate this year is a great move in the nation’s transition to Covid-19 endemicity and can help the local economy to recover.

“When I go to a Ramadan bazaar, I will always look out for my personal favourites like nasi briyani, roti john and nasi ayam penyet.

“For drinks, definitely ais kacang and for dessert, kuih bongkol,” said the entrepreneur.

Nevertheless, Nur Syarfeeza expressed concern that there were some sellers at the bazaars who did not wear face masks and also failed to observe physical distancing.

“There are also patrons who bring their young children to the bazaar. It looks like we still have a long way to go in living our daily lives with Covid still around,” she sighed.

For Jessieca Breddai Bernard, Ramadan bazaars have always been her go-to place for traditional ‘kuih’ and other local Malay delicacies.

“Sarawakians love to go food hunting and during this fasting month, we can go to Ramadan bazaars to look for traditional kuih such as kuih rangin, tepung pelita, celorot as well as dishes such as umai, obor-obor, sambal petai and roasted chicken,” said the 50-year-old teacher, who hails from Bukit Saban in Betong.

Besides the joy of food hunting, she said one is bound to bump into family members, friends and even colleagues at these bazaars.

“During a recent visit to one of the Ramadan bazaars here, I met a group of my former students who still called me ‘Cikgu’. It was a really good feeling.”

Another fan of traditional kuih is lawyer Abang Mohd Firdaus Abang Maludin, 33, who swears that Ramadan bazaars are the only place where one can find a wide array of traditional delicacies.

“Try looking for stalls selling traditional Malay kuih after Hari Raya Aidilfitri – it’s not that easy to find,” he said, listing kuih bongkol, kuih celorot and kuih seri muka as his favourites.

“In the days of our grandparents or even great-grandparents, these kuih were made from scratch by hand, without the use of modern baking equipment.

“I guess that’s why many would say that kuih made back in the day are tastier compared to now,” he added.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by JACQUELINE DAVID

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