It is that time of the year for Malaysian gastronomy, the time to indulge in usually hard-to-find delicacies that are now being sold every day at your nearby Ramadan bazaars.
While we hear many complaints that food has become even more expensive lately, the turnout at these bazaars did not show any signs of decline.
Take one of Kuching’s most popular Ramadan bazaars – the Satok bazaar – as an example. It is said that the crowds turned up to buy dishes and treats as early as 2 pm.
I had the opportunity to visit the bazaar on its first day, Tuesday, and was greeted by a packed crowd. There were people that you had to physically bump into in every direction.
Deputy Minister of Utilities and Telecommunications, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, who is the minister-in-charge of Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), was present to officiate at the bazaar’s opening.
On Thursday, both Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg made separate visits to Satok’s Ramadan bazaar.
Two years ago, the same bazaar was visited by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and then Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandarah.
At the time, the nation was still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, hence the lower turnout with many opting to cook at home.
I still remember that despite the presence of notable guests accompanying the royal couple, there was still some room to navigate around the compound, which was not the case this Tuesday.
Ramadan bazaars are experiencing a surge in popularity, at least in my area in the first few days, and the trend is interesting to see.
While the prevailing sentiment is that with the rising cost of living, we will see lower turnouts at these bazaars. That appears to be untrue.
Regardless, we have to address the ever-increasing prices of food sold by the bazaar traders.
Just a few years ago, people were able to stretch RM10 to buy packed rice and a beverage, but that is no longer possible. There are many factors to consider when tackling this issue.
Ramadan bazaars are good for traders to earn a living, especially to prepare for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, including first-time traders. With a healthy mix of seasoned traders and new ones, it injects variety into the prepared menus.
However, there might also be a downside to this. While seasoned traders, who also ply their trade daily at other trading spaces besides the bazaar, are more conservative in terms of pricing, the same probably cannot be said for newer traders who might be more liberal in setting the prices.
Normally packed rice, which would be sold for RM10 every other day by a seasoned trader, will be sold for the same price, but a newer or first-time trader might sell it for more.
There are, of course, many factors to consider – it could be the different menu and variety of the packed rice. Something unusual and uncommon would be priced higher. And there is also the issue of economies of scale.
Newer traders would have to spend a fortune to invest in the necessary equipment to use for the Ramadan month, while the seasoned ones already bought theirs a long time ago.
Of course, the pressure to recoup the upfront costs means having to sell food at higher prices, and unfortunately, this sets a precedent whereby the market prices for the products are being inflated.
This has caused knee-jerk reactions from the buying public. The common saying “pergi haji balik hari” has created much amusement on social media.
It essentially means trying to get rich quickly enough to afford to go to Mecca to perform the Hajj and return on the same day.
In any case, there must be some mechanism to address the self-created inflation at Ramadan bazaars, and this is where the relevant ministries and local councils should step in to curb the surge.
From another perspective, the reception by bazaar-goers this Ramadan points to signs of an improving economy, where money is being spent by the people.
Of course, Ramadan, being a holy month of self-restraint, we should train ourselves to reduce wastage and, more importantly, not overeat.
While Ramadan bazaars are becoming more vibrant, it is also becoming more expensive for a once-in-a-year gastronomic experience.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the New Sarawak Tribune.
