Malaysia’s Ramadan bazaars draw crowds, but some tighten belts
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – It’s late afternoon in Kuala Lumpur and despite the stifling heat, a crowd of people is wandering down a street lined with food stalls.
The air is filled with the smell of barbecued chicken and fried fish as shoppers – most of them ethnic Malaysian Muslims looking for food to break their Ramadan fast – shop for their favorite foods.
The mood is festive, even if prices are higher than usual this year. The country’s central bank said in February that while inflation is likely to moderate, it is likely to remain “elevated.”
“The rising cost of living has affected the affordability of food and other items sold at the bazaar. We are seeing a significant increase in the price leading people to be careful about their spending,” Aiedah Khalek, a senior lecturer at Monash University Malaysia and an expert on Muslim consumer behavior, told Al Jazeera.
Ramadan bazaars can be found in almost every corner of Malaysia, which is mainly ethnic Malay but also has large minorities of ethnic Chinese, Indians and indigenous peoples.
Many are drawn to the markets in the capital Kuala Lumpur, where they can also visit traditional shopping areas around Jalan Tuanku Abdul to buy new outfits in anticipation of Eid, known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Malaysia, which falls at the end of Ramadan.
The bazaars usually open in the early afternoon so that people have time to buy their food ready before the start of Lent at sunset.
Aiedah has researched halal communal dining and its effect on the social cohesion of multifaith communities.
“What makes Ramadan bazaars special is that they offer different types of food, especially food that is rarely available outside of the month of Ramadan,” she said.
“Now we can see huge Ramadan bazaars especially in the urban areas, unlike 20-25 years ago.”
Keep prices low
Due to the high cost of living, some small traders have joined the government’s Rahmah Ramadan Bazaar initiative this year, which is designed to ensure that food for buka puasa (breaking the fast) is sold at reasonable prices.
Nur Mastura has a Menu Rahmah sticker at her stall, which means that the price of the 13 types of rice cakes she sells is limited to 10 Malaysian ringgit ($2.26) each.
“Ramadan bazaars are a way to celebrate so many cultural cuisines. I have been selling putu bambu, an Indonesian kueh (cake) at bazaars for four years now. People keep coming to taste,” the 19-year-old told Al Jazeera.
She is studying for a banking degree, but helps out at her family’s stall at the Masjid Jamek Ramadan bazaar in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Traditionally, Malaysians prefer to break their fast with dishes that are gentle on their stomachs after long hours without food or water.
One such traditional dish is bubur lambuk, which is made by boiling the ingredients together in a single pan, translated as spread porridge.
At most mosques, the dish is distributed free of charge during Ramadan. The porridge is usually made with meat, onions, garlic, coconut oil and various spices such as cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, star anise, cloves and fenugreek.
“Everyone has their own secret recipe. It depends on the budget and the ingredients,’ said Saiful Azrul, as he and his brothers – all full-time peddlers – stir their porridge in large pans on the side of the road in preparation for the evening bazaars. “We like to cook together and donate half of what we cook.”
They only sell bubur, which they start cooking in the morning, during Ramadan.
Malaysian food is often spicy and combines styles and flavors from around the world.
“I was surprised by the wide variety of food options, because there was also food I had never seen before in Malaysia,” says Anne Hilbert, a 23-year-old exchange student visiting Malaysia from a Dutch university. “I felt a strong sense of community among the people in the bazaars.”
They have tasted the Thai skewers that Adlin Ahmad and her sister made at a riverside Ramadan bazaar in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
“My older sister and I sell grilled skewers and noodle soup. During Ramadan, everyone comes together to sell their specialties,” says 29-year-old Adlin, who graduated from university in 2015 and now sells snacks for a living.
“We pay 600 Malaysian ringgit ($135) for the month to set up our booth,” the Ahmad sisters told Al Jazeera. “Due to the post-COVID-19 rise in commodity prices, food prices have also risen.”
The higher prices have led to slower sales for some, adding to food waste, which was already on the rise before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In addition to bazaars, Ramadan in Malaysia also sees hotels and restaurants hosting lavish buka puasa buffets at times.
The amount of solid waste, including food, collected during Ramadan rose to 252,521 tons last year, compared to 208,143 tons in 2019, according to Deputy Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir.
“The amount is increasing every year and in the last five years we have seen an increase of up to 21 percent,” he told reporters after the launch of a Hari Raya event on April 10. Food made up 44.5 percent of the waste, he added.
Local vendors say they try to donate the leftovers so they don’t have to throw away large amounts of food on a quiet day. They are also more careful about the amount they earn in the first place.
“Usually there aren’t many leftovers because over the years we’ve gotten used to cooking the right amounts. Snacks like ours stay fresh for over a week. If not, I usually donate the rest to my brother’s school,’ Adlin said.
By early evening, the bazaars are winding down as Malays head home to wait for the sunset prayer when they can have dinner together.
The bazaars are open until April 21, the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.