SERI ISKANDAR: As Ramadan approaches, the thing that most people will look forward to is the tasty Ramadan eats offered at Ramadan bazaars.
However, traders in the state are still on tenterhooks since the state government has yet to make a decision on the bazaars’ fate following the extension of the movement control order (MCO) until April 14.
But, for Perak Tengah, Manjung and Batu Gajah folks, there is still a glimmer of hope.
Taking to Facebook, Siti Nur Hanani Sulong, 37, created several Facebook pages for traders to join and publish their menus on this virtual platform.
The pages are Bazar Ramadhan Bandar Universiti Seri Iskandar; Bazar Ramadhan SIDEC SIBC Seri Iskandar; Bazar Ramadhan Tronoh; Bazar Ramadhan Titi Gantung; Bazar Ramadhan Kampung Gajah, Bazar Ramadhan Batu Gajah and Bazar Ramadhan Manjung.
Siti Nur Hanani who sells fried chicken said the online platform would create better opportunity for the traders as well as runners to earn extra income during the fasting month.
“Traders will post their menu in these groups while people can browse the pages and choose which delicacies they want. They will send message via WhatsApp to these respective traders and runners will pick the meals up and deliver them to the customers.
“These traders will also be added into a Whatsapp group that I’ve created to monitor order taking and delivery process so that customers do no have to fork out money on delivery charges that can be between RM2 and RM3, depending on the location.
“The online bazaar will avoid people from overcrowding at one place. This will also give the opportunity to small business owners who normally trade at bazaars the opportunity to go online to sell their foods and products," she said.
The mother of three said that she had created the Facebook pages five days ago and as of today, there some 150 traders had joined the groups.
“I hope this online platform will help a lot of traders out there during these trying times,” she said.
Siti Nur Hanani is also hopeful that the state government will come out with the best decision and mechanism to help bazaar traders especially during fasting month.
“We know that fasting month is incomplete without Ramadan bazaars. People getting in extremely close proximity with one another as they browse various food stalls, is a situation not ideal in order to contain the spread of Covid-19.
“The bazaar is still there but it’s in the form of a virtual bazaar. So far, we have been getting positive feedback. In fact, some customers have even suggested some favourite local foods to be added into the menu," she said.