A trader busy preparing barbecue chicken wings to be sold at the Ramadan bazaar in Sandakan on the first day of fasting. – Bernama photo
KOTA KINABALU (Mar 23): The Ramadan bazaars held every year are always the go-to place for Malaysians to purchase food for the breaking of fast and the excitement is being felt again.
Eight bazaars were opened in Kota Kinabalu, namely at the Deasoka Intersection; Sembulan night market site; Indah Permai parking lot; Tanjung Aru parking lot; Inanam night market site; Kingfisher night market site; Inanam Point night market site; and the Dewan Damai parking lot.
Ikhwan Zulkarnain Abdul Patak, 36, who has a stall at the Ramadan bazaar at the Deasoka Intersection, said he and his family members practised the concept of ‘baraqah’ (blessings) in business, which offers a variety of rice and side dishes at low prices to visitors.
“Raw materials are very expensive now, but we think of finding ‘baraqah’ in doing business, especially during this Ramadan month. It’s true that the profit is not much, but if we sell at a low price, many people (will) buy (and we get) more profit, that is also how we can help the less fortunate,” said Ikhwan Zulkarnain, who sells rice and two side dishes for less than RM7 as well as rice and three side dishes for under RM10.
Forty-eight-year-old Abel Benwel Akop, who is a civil servant, said it’s an annual event for him and his family to visit bazaars looking for delicious and unique halal food in the state known as the Land below the Wind.
“For us in Sabah, it’s not strange for non-Muslims to look for halal food because we live in a multi-racial country. I have always liked to look for halal food since I was young because I know it is cleaner and tasty, so this bazaar is where I look for delectable and unique food every year,” he said.