Ramadan bazaar a racial kaleidoscope
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg says the Ramadan bazaar in Sarawak acts as a melting pot for the people of all races and religion to converge under one roof in search of good food.
He noted that Ramadan bazaars, despite the intention of selling food and beverages for the Muslim community to break their fast, has also managed to attract a large number of non-Muslims.
“This only reflects our unity. Besides buying food, non-Muslims are also participating in the bazaar,” said Abang Johari who launched the Satok Ramadan Bazaar near the former Satok market here yesterday.
He also commended the effort of DBKU to provide two major sites to host the bazaar -one in Satok and another in Semarak, Kampung Gita which was simultaneously launched by Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman.
By spreading out the location of the Ramadan bazaar, this he said would provide convenience to the people to buy their meals and other local desserts.
On a more serious note, Abang Johari said food vendors should always make cleanliness as their top priority.
Dishes that are not sold or kept overnight should be discarded as a way to avoid any incidences of food poisoning.
“Vendors must be able to estimate the number of customers and prepare the meals accordingly,” said Abang Johari who is also Satok assemblyman.
According to a press statement from DBKU, the bazaar in Satok houses a total of 91 stalls selling various types of food such as bubur pedas, botok, bubur syura and nasi hujan panas.
The bazaar is also to improve the socio economies of small traders and promote Sarawak traditional food among tourists in the area.
Besides visiting the vendors yesterday, Abang Johari was also given the honour to stir the traditional bubur lambuk and distribute it to members of the public.
Among those present at the launch were Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, DBKU Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Wahap Abang Julai and DBKU commissioner Datuk Wee Hong Seng.