BY JAMES WONG
KUCHING: The Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) Ramadan Bazaars officially began yesterday (Mar 23).
It has three bazaars for this year’s Ramadan, namely, Satok, Semarak and Sukma.
The Satok bazaar was launched early yesterday by Datuk Ibrahim Baki, the assemblyman for the area.
A total of 189 food operators are participating in the Ramadan Bazaar this year. Satok is the largest bazaar with 95 food stalls, providing visitors with a sea of options.
The bazaar exudes a sense of community, with families, students and workers surging to find their favourite dishes, drinks and other food items suitable for breaking the fast.
Dayang Nursyzwani, 19, said that this is her first Ramadan away from home, and is excited to see what the Ramadan bazaar in Kuching has to offer.
“This Ramadan is special for me because it is the first fasting month away from my parents in Saratok, but I’m happy to be celebrating with my friends,” she said.
She added that she is looking forward to trying the viral Laksa Penang here at the bazaar.
Meanwhile, Nuranz Amran, 37, said it has become a yearly custom for her family to visit the bazaar during the month of Ramadan. They would make daily trips to the bazaar to take away food for the family.
“For the bazaar, I look forward most to the murtabak, kebab and satay for me and the family,” said the businesswoman.
Commenting further, she suggested that it would be helpful for all hawkers to install large signboards, making it easier for people to locate their stalls.
Another shopper at the bazaar, Syahirah Sofia Abdul Rafi, aged 21, said that the bazaar at Satok is special due to the large number of stalls.
“The bazaar at Satok here is special because we are familiar with the vendors who take part every year, offering everything we are looking for compared to other bazaars,” she said.
Sharifah Siti Nurlaila, 28, commented that she’s thrilled about this year’s Ramadan and the bazaars, as she can celebrate with her family at Semariang without many restrictions, unlike in previous years.
“I came to this bazaar because it’s located close to the city, and everyone from areas nearby would visit the bazaar here. Also compared to the Ramadan Bazaar at Semariang, this bazaar is bigger and offers more choices,” said the draughtswoman.
She also expressed hope that the coming Ramadan bazaar would be expanded and become the largest in Kuching.
