KUCHING: Stall operators at PCC Demak Ramadan bazaar are experiencing dwindling number of customers after the first two days of business.

According to Abang Irfan Abang Azahari, 31, the bazaar received tremendous response during the launching on the second day of Ramadan.

He opined that the low number of visitors could be due the growing number of Ramadan bazaars of late, and the people have too many choices to purchase food to break their fast, and the traffic flow to the bazaar.

“The road here is only one way and it is inconvenient to drive one ‘big round’ to get here (PCC Demak Ramadan Bazaar). There are many factories here and after the workers leave work and head into the city, they have many other bazaars they can visit along the way,” he lamented.

Irfan who operates a traditional cake stall, shares the premises with his partner who sells ‘nasi ayam penyet’. Both of them are in the construction business and have no work lined up during Ramadan, thus decided to open a stall at PCC Demak.

Both of them who are first time Ramadan bazaar participants would usually start setting up their stall at 3.30pm daily.

For Shadiana Kalana, 28, though the human traffic at the bazaar has been slowly decreasing, her cake sales have been good.

“I’m mostly sold out at the end of the day, if not there’s only one or two boxes left.

“I think it’s because there are so many bazaars and people will visit a different one each time. Aside from that, this Ramadan bazaar is also newly opened, so maybe people don’t know there’s one here.”

She said that aside from that, even tour buses bringing tourists do not even stop at the bazaar before heading to tourist spots like Bako National Park.

As Ramadan bazaars feature delicacies only sold during Ramadan, she hopes that tour companies will consider including stops at a Ramadan Bazaar as part of the itinerary.

She sells ‘kek batik’, muffins, jelly and chocolate cakes at the stall, but has been doing cake business for several years, supplying to village shops and pre-orders.

She shares her stall with her neighbour who sells ‘roti canai’. She said the stall rent is RM500 for the whole Ramadan, which she splits half with her neighbour.

This is also her first time participating at a Ramadan bazaar, and she sets up shop around 2pm daily.

As for Missuzlia Mohd Hassan, 32, the low visitor turnout to the bazaar might be because of the current economic situation.

“It might be due to the economy. With prices of things going up, people might be more careful in their spending and prefer to cook at home instead.”

She also experienced dwindling number of visitors to her stall after the second day of selling at the bazaar. She cooks her food items and packs them at home before putting them up for sale. She sells ‘umai’, ‘mi kolok’ and ‘mi bakso’.