PETALING JAYA: The Ramadan bazaar will be a big draw when the fasting month begins this weekend with 5,000 stalls expected to be set up in Kuala Lumpur and 9,720 in Selangor.
Traders are looking forward to brisker sales this year than in 2021 after the Covid-19 pandemic put a damper on their takings. No bazaar was allowed to operate in 2020.
Customers are expected to head to the stalls in droves, and health experts are advising people to exercise more caution as the number of recorded daily cases is still high.
Occupational health, emergency and public health expert Dr Hanafiah Bashirun urged those in the high-risk category not to patronise the bazaar but rely on others to buy their treats or get them online.
“Mask is a must, and if can, wear double mask for extra protection. Bear in mind that you can become a carrier. You still need to go back home where your children or parents live. You need to protect not just yourself but others as well.
“It’s still not safe (out there) but the good thing is, it’s not as deadly as before because most of us are vaccinated and have had booster shots.
“But for those in the high-risk group such as senior citizens, children and unvaccinated people, better don’t go,” he said.
Prof Dr Sandy Loh of University of Nottingham Malaysia agreed with Hanafiah. She advised families to send a representative to the bazaar rather than going in a group. She pointed out that the bazaar will also attract non-Muslims as it operates only once a year.
“The government has done what it can do such as setting standard operating procedures (SOP) and MySejahtera tracking.
“Now everything depends on the behaviour of the public. People need to remember that they have to practise the SOP.
“The problem here is the vaccination rate is increasing but children are not fully immunised. When parents go to the bazaar, they risk getting infected and there is a high chance of them transmitting the virus to their children at home.
“Take a shower or at least wash your hands and legs before interacting with family members, especially children, after visiting the stalls,” she said.
Trader Ifarna Kamaruddin, 35, hopes to recoup some of the losses she suffered last year due to a surge in infections then.
“I have been setting up my stall since I got married in 2017 but it was not lucrative last year because many people didn’t turn up.
“I hope it would be better this year. All we need to do is follow the SOP and do not misuse this opportunity. We are also preparing MySejahtera QR code and sanitisers for patrons,” she said.
Another stall operator, Muhammad Farhan, who worked as a customer service executive until losing his job last year, said he put up a stand at a bazaar to support his family last year.
“Two months before last Raya, I was retrenched. I was helpless and then my wife proposed that I set up a stall at the bazaar and that was how we survived that period. Today, I have a job but I’m still going to set up my booth for this Ramadan to show my gratitude,” said the 45-year-old trader.