Accountant serves up cheap and tasty satay in Shah Alam Ramadan bazaar
Go on social media, and the No. 1 complaint is the unreasonable prices at Ramadan bazaars.
Worse, some food are undercooked and unhygienic, with some customers complaining of finding unwanted stuff in their takeaway packs.
While there is no excuse for serving undercooked, raw, or spoilt food, traders do have to contend with the high cost of raw ingredients.
In one Facebook group I belong to, a trader posted that she paid RM38 for an 8.5kg bag of onions before Ramadan. But the price went up to RM48 on the first day of fasting (March 12), and RM60 on the sixth day of Ramadan.
She lamented that prices of other raw ingredients had gone up and that she may not open for the whole month, as she was only selling her Nasi Kerabu for RM9 a packet. It includes a choice of ayam percik or daging kunyit.
Many of her regulars asked her to reduce the portions as they felt she was too generous. Some said they didn’t mind paying a bit more because of the quality of the food.
It is good that she has supportive customers.
But food at Ramadan bazaars needn’t be expensive.
Last Saturday, I visited one near the soon-to-be-demolished Shah Alam Stadium, and found a satay stall that seemed too good to be true.
Called Satay Warisan Hj Senin, the prices are RM0.70 (chicken), RM1 (beef) and RM1.50 (mutton). Other traders at the bazaar and Subang Jaya are selling their satay at RM1, RM1.50, and RM2.
The owner, Arfaizi Arifin, said he can keep his prices low due to the high turnover.
“The business has been in my wife Nur Farahin Md Zaid’s family for three generations. They are from Keramat, Kuala Lumpur, but we have lived in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, for the longest time,” said the Kuala Terengganu native.
“We understand the cost of living is getting out of control, so we try to make satay more affordable.
“We have regular customers, and after Ramadan, we will return to our stall at the Jalan TAR night market on Saturdays.”
Asked how the response has been at this year’s bazaar, Arfaizi admitted it was slower than last year.
“The timing is not good as school just opened. Parents would have to spend a lot of money on their kids. Also, people are now more careful with their money,” said Arfaizi, who has three school-going children.
“We live a simple life. No flashy cars, no fancy items. That is another way to manage my finances.
“Honestly, I don’t make much of a profit from the bazaar, but it is enough for my family to survive.”
To supplement his income, Arfaizi said he sells satay online.
“Cooked or frozen, we can do both. I get many requests for weddings and other special occasions like birthdays and office parties,” said Arfaizi.
“Whatever the customer wants, I can deliver.”
Arfaizi worked as an accountant for eight years and uses that knowledge to manage the business.
“It took me a while to decide to go full-time. I had to make sure that if I did so, it would be enough for my family,” said the 38-year-old.
“So, in 2017, I took the plunge, and we are doing fairly well.”
Arfaizi is an example of a trader who doesn’t have to raise prices to make a living.
Best of all, the satay and the kuah kacang (peanut gravy) were delicious.
I fancy a drive there again tomorrow.
THREE MALAYSIAN BOOKS NOMINATED FOR IBBY AWARD
The Malaysia Board on Books for Young People (MBBY), a non-profit organisation, is delighted to announce Malaysia’s nominations for the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honour List 2024.
The list is compiled biennially by the international sections of IBBY to honour illustrators, writers and translators nominated by the 82 national sections of IBBY, with each country selecting books published in the previous two years.
The Malaysian titles nominated are:
* Illustrator: The Rainbird, Lim Lay Koon, Integra Creative Media
* Writer: Nusantara: A Sea of Tales, Heidi Shamsuddin
* Translator: Suzume, Nur Atiqah Yahya, Kodokawa Gempak Starz
The Honour List will be announced at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair during the IBBY press conference on April 8.
Permanent collections of the IBBY Honour List books are kept in Munich, Germany (International Youth Library), Zurich, Switzerland (Swiss Institute for Child and Youth Media, SIKIM), Bratislava, Slovakia (Bibiana Research Collection), St. Petersburg, Russia (RBBY Central Children’s Library), Tokyo, Japan (Kandajimbocho, Chiyoda-ku), Tucson, United States (World of Words), and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Universiti Selangor Library).
BLOOD DONATION DRIVE IN SEREMBAN
There will be a blood donation drive at Seremban’s Church of the Visitation tomorrow, March 24, from 8.30am until 1pm.
Organised by the Parish Integral Human Development Ministry, the event is part of its Lenten campaign and will be at the Visitation Hall.
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