IN fewer than 20 days, Ramadan will manifest for the year 2021.
Some of us might have already started thinking about breaking fast and sahur. Traders are no less busy managing licences to trade during Ramadan following the announcement on March 16 by the government that Ramadan bazaars will be allowed to operate again.
The announcement was welcomed by traders, who breathed a sigh of relief after they had lost their source of income during the restrictions on movements since last year.
The government's move to allow Ramadan bazaars to operate will revive the economy, and it will also help traders gain income again, as well as give visitors more options to get food for breaking their fast.
It will help in preparation for Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities. Based on the announcement, the bazaar site must be set up in an open area and every visitor must use the MySejahtera application to register before entering.
A straightforward rule, although it has indeed been a general condition for every movement throughout the year since the Covid-19 pandemic hit our country.
The Ramadan bazaar has always been a centre for buying food for breaking fast.
In 2020, food sellers were forced to shift their businesses online to meet demand. But this time, the implementation is different.
The stalls are permitted to operate physically, and customers are given the freedom to visit by following the standard operating procedures. Even so, due to trauma, paranoia or concerns about safety, there are a few visitors who may feel awkward about being in public after a long practice of staying at home.
Therefore, I suggest that the management of the bazaar or the corporation's council do the following to help traders streamline sales and provide people more options, especially for those who are still staying at home.
Each bazaar must have its own management, so perhaps they can help buyers who visit the stalls or those using online purchases, such as:
1. Telegram group: Establish a Telegram group where sellers and buyers can easily access the menu. Sellers can introduce their food. Here, the management can create a number code for each food stall to simplify the process of identifying each stall.
2. Facebook Live: The management can organise Facebook Live sessions to promote sales and inform people about the daily situation at a bazaar. This platform will allow customers to see for themselves the various delicacies sold at the bazaar. This can also strengthen the networking relationship between the management, sellers and buyers.
3. Contactless payment: Online payment, such QR Pay or e-wallets, is recommended. This will speed up sellers' process of managing orders and it will be safer not to have cash on hand.
4. Online delivery: The management can enter into joint ventures with delivery companies, such as Grab, Foodpanda, Bungkusit, Mr Speedy, or Lalamove. This joint venture can provide jobs to deliverers and help manage sales better. Besides, deliveries are more controlled with a trusted delivery company's system.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught people the world over to use online arrangements in terms of buying and selling. In this day and age, it is no longer strange to perform virtual activities, online payments, and make purchases online, along with communicating and subscribing to unlimited Internet packages.
The passage of time has seen society go through many life changes, especially in terms of technology. It is surely common sense to adopt technological advances that help society during a pandemic and beyond.
One thing for sure, given the progress that has been made in dealing with Covid-19, Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri will probably be more festive this year.
The writer is a postgraduate student, Kuliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia