By Aida Aziz
IPOH: The first day of Ramadan saw thousands of visitors attending the Stadium Perak Ramadan Bazaar here.
It can be said that the bazaar becomes a focal point every time Ramadan approaches, having the highest number of stalls, which is 200, comprising 186 hawkers.
A survey on Tuesday evening found that the public tends to choose buying at the bazaar rather than cooking or eating at restaurants.
One of the reasons is the proximity to the workplace and not having time to cook at home.
Furthermore, the encouragement for visitors to bring their own food containers as previously advertised does not seem to be well-received.
According to Nur Naema Nayan, the proposal is deemed good for reducing plastic usage, but she mentioned that she currently does not intend to do so.
“I only buy iftar food at the bazaar because it’s more economical and close to my workplace.
“If I come here, I’ll look for heavier meals and see what options are available,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ainil Said said it’s quite inconvenient to bring your own food containers to the bazaar, but it’s a good suggestion.
“If I go home late and don’t have time to cook, I’ll stop by the bazaar and buy food here, especially since both my husband and I are working and busy,” she said.
Izzuan Ishak, on the other hand, believes that many hawkers are aware of the quality of the food they sell.
“I think this time the traders are sensitive to the requests of many people to maintain the quality and taste of the food sold, not just focusing on quantity, especially those who are new to business,” he said.
The Ramadan bazaar is enlivened by the presence of crowds from various nations, giving them the opportunity to explore a variety of foods that can only be seen once a year.
Jasdep Singh Dhillon said he enjoys the atmosphere of Ramadan month and the bustling bazaar with crowds.
“I come with family members, at the same time supporting friends who have stalls here.
“Every fasting month, I will visit the bazaar to find unique foods,” he said.
Asasi Sains, a student from UniKL Ipoh and Alea Nabila Fadzil said the uniqueness of the Ramadan bazaar in Perak is different from her hometown in Johor.
“Here, there are large and bustling stalls with visitors, the university is close to the bazaar, and I come here with friends to buy food, plus the prices are reasonable,” she said.
Previously, the Ipoh City Council encouraged the use of biodegradable food packaging and visitors bringing their own food containers.
