JOHOR BAHRU: Capitalising on the usual promotions and discounts towards the end of Ramadan many individuals are motivated to shop for clothing and other essential items in anticipation of the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, slated for tomorrow.
A survey by Bernama at a hypermarket in the area revealed that the establishment, popular with both locals and Singaporeans, saw customers arriving as early as 9.15 am to shop for clothing, ingredients, traditional sweets, and a variety of other essentials.
Aida Miskon, 48, said she chose to shop at the last minute because, apart from her busy work schedule, she also expected cheaper prices now.
“Our family just arrived from Nilai because my husband and I work there. Today we finally had the chance to look for Raya clothes. Since my husband’s hometown is nearby in Kampung Melayu Majidee, we decided to shop here.
“So far, the prices are reasonable; we need to bargain wisely and look for quality things at reasonable prices. We’re all aware that it’s a tough year, so we’re doing our best to prepare within our means,“ said the mother of five.
Similarly, Hafilah Zatin Amali Aman, 49, who is a teacher at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Teluk Kerang near Pontian, said she chose to shop now because she anticipated less crowds as many people have returned to their hometowns, and could get better promotions and discounts.
“I arrived at 9.45. There were plenty of parking spots available. Today, I’m searching for a maroon outfit for my youngest child. Our family is not getting new clothes because we had outfits made for my youngest sibling’s event last year. However, my child’s clothes got stained and damaged, so we need to buy a new one,” she said, accompanied by her 15-year-old son, Hanif Daniel Mohd Syahomlail.
Siblings Suriani Salleh, 46, Sarina Salleh, 51, and Suraya Saleh, 42, said that although they had made early preparations, they decided to visit the hypermarket to have a look and buy items that interested them.
“We just arrived around 9 this morning... we’re strolling around to see if we can buy additional items. We also want to experience the atmosphere on the last day of Ramadan here.
“Alhamdulillah, we bought 8 jars of cookies, and they’re cheap—4 jars for RM100... here, you really need to shop smart, and maybe there will be more discounts later today. We know that prices have increased, but we must budget and shop according to our needs,“ they said.-Bernama
